Harlow Carr - 14 March 2010

Tuesday 30 March 2010

Our veg patch didn’t receive much hands-on attention during Mother's day weekend as we weren’t in London tending to our seedlings but up in Yorkshire having a weekend away with my family. We were very lucky with the weather and I think Mam had a nice day especially as we took her to the wonderful RHS Harlow Carr on Sunday.

We have heard of Harlow Carr as it has been mentioned on Garden’s Question Time a couple of times so when my mother said she was keen to go we jumped at the chance. Mam is a member of the RHS so for 3 adults and one child it only cost us £9.50 to get in. With our bargain entrance fee we had a few pennies left so spent them initially in Betty’s tea rooms on lots of yummy cakes and pies and then in the fantastic garden shop, where I think all 4 of us managed to loose an hour or so wandering around.

The gardens themselves are beautiful. As the winter has been such a long and cold one up north many of the flowers and spring bulbs weren’t in full bloom yet but we did see a lovely display of crocuses, miniature irises and snowdrops. I had serious envy of their raised vegetable beds in the kitchen garden just waiting to be filled up with seedlings. One day I with have 25 perfectly formed raised beds! They had a huge bed of rhubarb too which looked like ours (nothing to write home about) so that made me feel better that we ours is actually going to be ok. There was a maze for the kids (and us) to get lost in, a bird watching sanctuary and lovely walks. I am very tempted to go back in the summer as I am sure with all their summer flowers out it will be a magical place.