My Garden

With all the snow and freezing weather we've experienced this winter you could be forgiven for thinking that the Kitchen Garden must be empty at this time of year. Yet despite overnight temperatures as low as -13^oC there is still plenty to harvest!

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Good morning! Due to heavy snowfall at Harlow Carr we have taken the decision to close the garden to visitors today (Christmas Eve). The shop and Plant Centre will remain open until 12 noon.

We are still scheduled to open on Boxing Day although it is advised that visitors ring ahead to check the situation before travel.

Have a lovely Christmas from all at Harlow Carr! Read More...

 

 

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When I woke to the sound of lashing rain  Monday morning, I heaved a huge sigh of relief – whilst the rest of the country were battening down the hatches for the watery onslaught, secretly we gardeners were celebrating! Why? Because sat waiting in one of our storage rooms are over 20,000 tulip bulbs just waiting to be planted! Whilst the ground conditions are such on the whale border, their intended location -  the back breaking mud bath has been suspended!

So with the bulb extravaganza on hold, we have been mending leaky buildings, soggy leaf collecting and having a general tidy up.  There are times, usually when wet through and cheesed off when you question your sanity of working outside for a living! However we are treated this time of the year occasionally, when the sun decides to make an appearance, to the most beautiful light - golden and rich, which highlights all the textures and skeletons in the garden, usually fleeting, in between showers, but definitely worth the wait. The Cotinus and Sea Buckthorn are looking particulary stunning at the moment. Read More...

This week we have had rabbits that only Beatrix Potter could be proud of! I have searched in vain for small blue coats on the shrubbery. Joking apart though, they have been decimating the borders with a vengeance: there we were merrily planting bulbs for next year’s display, when out one of them popped from behind the Beech hedge. Less than a foot from where we were working, up on his back legs not caring a jot for us and started to settle into a jolly old snack! Even much shooing from us only saw him retreat to the other side of the hedge before sneaking back when he thought we weren’t looking. Read More...

 What a glorious week it has been for our ‘Taste of Autumn’ event over the half term holiday. It has been fantastic to see the garden so busy and enjoyed by all. Autumn colour is continuing to liven up and brighten up the garden sparkling on a dull misty day.  Many events have taken place during this week including Apple festival, where our visitors have been able to sample and have tasting sessions, advice and admire the display supported by the Northern fruit group. Now our displays have changed again and we have many fabulous pumpkins.  We have grown some ourselves in the productive area and Wisley have supplied many more to add to the event. They look stunning with whole variety of shapes, sizes, colours, textures and not to mention there funny quirky names which add a smile

to everyone’s face! Read More...

It's ‘ooh', ‘aaah'  time in the garden right now as the landscape is on fire  for autumn. Sometimes autumn creeps in by stealth, not this year. Cold, crisp, clear nights and bang the garden is suddenly like a box of favourite fireworks. Every  turned corner brings a new explosion of reds, yellows, golds and greens.

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This time of year in so many ways is one of the most colourful times, mostly hot fiery shades from the clearest of yellows through to the deepest of purplish reds, and that’s just the autumn foliage.

 

 Others however seem to stand out and clash with there vivid blues, purples and shocking pinks like a last blast of fireworks before the darkness of winter falls upon us. Read More...

Hi it’s Kath here, writing today’s blog, I shall start with our two new trainees: Nicola and Ryan who are coming to the end of their third week with us, they have had a whirlwind of lessons in how to use this and how to use that piece of kit and today they are to be tested on their first ‘plant identity list’. They have been busy learning some of our Herbaceous Perennials on the main borders. They are given a list 40 plants to find, learn and recognise and then they are tested on 25 of them. No pressure eh guys? Good luck to you! Read More...

I am sure we have had a real taster of autumn this week, and feel more of this is to come. It is particularly a good time of year although there has been a nip in the air and drop in temperature to add to the dew and damp mornings. This is however great for autumn colour. Already out in the garden we are experiencing the change as the leaves begin to turn and fall in particular the Prunus sargentii at the top of the winter garden.  This is helped by the cold evenings and warm sunny days, as this enhances the rich autumn colours we will be able to admire and enjoy. Bright autumn days help enhance this colour change.

 

Our volunteers have been busy helping us in the winter garden clear the boat bed, named because of the shape as the mature trees in the centre of the bed act as funnels to the boat. They were hard at it with saws and loppers removing saplings and poor woody shrubs which had performed badly due to the lack of light. Underneath is a carpet of ivy which is ideal ground cover. We hope to plant Narcissus bulbs through this in the spring, the ivy will enhance this and be a great foil so bulbs will be able to shine and nod there heads gracefully. Read More...

Harlow Carr is basking in glorious late summer sun! The garden is looking beautiful and the colours of vibrant late perennials are mixed with the first soft hues of early autumn.

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Woke up wondering if I had maybe missed  summer this morning – the cool nip of autumn is very much upon us and we are busy collecting fallen leaves already from the trees off the paths in the garden. All the autumn fruit is looking delicious too…there are lots of blackberries in our boundary hedges, so I have been busy picking for my apple and bramble crumbles! All the crab apple trees too are laden and the gorgeous tints are glowing in the morning sunshine, I do love autumn, but it would have been nice to have had a summer first! Read More...

                    

                           

Growing these simple annual trailing/ climbing plants has brought back memories from years back and I can defiantly say I have really enjoyed growing them again watching them change on a daily basis.The containers have been amazing so far, bigger and better than I could possibly have imagined, although they have had a few minor problems with leaf miner, and in the last week cabbage white caterpillars. However this has not been too bad, and the vigorousness of the plants has allowed me to remedy this is by removing the affected leaves every few days. I will defiantly be growing these lovely plants again and much more often.

  

In fact I myself am now a uncle and I think that maybe next summer my lovely niece might just be old enough to grow her first packet of fantastic Nasturtiums, and I hope one day she will be able to look back at fond memories of growing these brilliant plants with her uncle as I do.  Read More...

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