Tuesday 17 February 2015

Harlow Carr In February

The weather for our visit to Harlow Carr this month was different to the weather we encountered at Harlow Carr In January. Last month, there was snow on the ground but the sun put in an appearance. We visited again on Saturday and though it was warmer this time, it was a very dull day. We were lucky really as it had been raining on the way there but had stopped by the time we arrived.


I'd noticed the dogwoods on our last visit but didn't take any photos of them. I put that right this time. It's a stunning display and really catches your eye as soon as you enter the garden.




I associate the bright reds and yellows with dogwoods but they come in this stunning dark colour too.


Hellebores were flowering last month but they're probably at their best at the moment.


Lots of borders are bare right now but there's signs of life as everything is just starting to wake up.


Gunnera is planted at the side of the stream. Have you seen the film Gremlins where the new batch are cocoons waiting to hatch out? That's what the Gunnera plants remind me of in the state they're in now. They die back in winter but can grow to great heights in summer, I shall keep my eye on these plants over the coming months.


The rockery is nice and tidy, not much to see now but I bet it will be stunning in summer.


Irises are springing up all over the gardens, I think this one is Pauline.


Silver Birches are beautiful in winter when you get to see the full beauty of the bark.


I took this photo of an empty bed so that I could watch its transformation over the course of the year. Nothing at all to see at the moment but I'm sure it'll be a different story soon.


The Kitchen Garden looks very different to how it looked last month. Gone is the covering of snow, the raised beds and paths have been spruced up and are all ready to be planted up. A gardener was spreading a mulch on them while we were there.



Some of the beds are still in use and contain winter crops.



The rhubarb, just like my own on my allotment, has started to grow.


The rhubarb bed looked so pretty as growing amongst the plants and forcers are snowdrops and irises.


There's a good selection of snowdrops dotted around the gardens at Harlow Carr.



I should thank Mick for getting down on his knees to take these next photos for me. He very rarely has a camera in his hand but I think he managed some good shots.



There's a big difference in the garden between January and February. Everything was just starting to wake up last month whereas there's more colour this month as well as preparations being in full swing for the year ahead. I wonder what next month will bring.

32 comments:

  1. Very interesting, can't wait for more photo's of how the garden changes over the year, I so love to see how they use space in the big gardens. The kitchen garden looks fantastic, all ready for the new season.

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    1. I saw a difference in only a few weeks so I'm sure there'll be big differences as the months roll by. I think there's always something to take away with you from any garden visit. The Kitchen Garden is my favourite area, there's been a lot of work done between our visits so I'm looking forward to seeing how that comes on from month to month.

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  2. Lovely photos Jo. I think I would like to make more garden visits this year & yes Mick did do very well x

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    1. I have to confess that we visited very few gardens before last year but I'm enjoying looking around different ones now. I think snowdrops are very hard to photograph so Mick should be proud of his efforts, especially as he takes so few photos.

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  3. Oh I didn't realise that you were going to follow the gardens at Harlow Carr year round Jo. What an excellent idea. Somebody has been busy in that kitchen garden :)

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    1. I'd like to try and make a monthly visit to Harlow Carr, though it does get busy at some times during the year so I might not manage it, we'll see. It would be good to see the changes month by month though. I love the Kitchen Garden, there's always lots of interest there.

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  4. I do remember how striking the dogwoods were . When the dwarf irises and crocuses are flowering it's beautiful

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    1. The irises and crocuses are just starting to bloom now, I think they'll look fabulous in March.

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    2. It was March when we saw the bulb display.

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    3. I'm looking forward to seeing all the tulips blooming, they usually have some striking container displays.

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  5. A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures.
    It's amazing how much it's changed in a month. Dogwoods and silver birch trees are wonderful, I would certainly have both if I had a garden. Flighty xx

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    1. There's definitely a difference since last month. I don't have any dogwoods but I do have a silver birch in my front garden. Unfortunately, we had to have one removed from the back garden as there just wasn't enough room for it, they do grow to be huge trees.

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  6. I love those dogwoods, such colour at this time of year! How lovely to go regularly and see it change, something I'm about to do by buying membership at a local arboretum (Marks Hall).

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    1. It's great that some plants do their thing in the depths of winter, the colour of dogwoods is stunning. I'm hoping that by visiting regularly, I will see both subtle and great changes month by month, I'm sure you'll do the same at your local arboretum.

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  7. Those Cornus are stunning, particularly grown in larger numbers. Lovely to see that Iris, is it Reticulate? Mine are not flowering yet even though we are further South.
    I wonder how much will have changed in a month's time ?

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    1. The large numbers of cornus really show them off at their best. Iris Pauline is a member of the reticulata group. I have Gordon in my garden and they're not flowering yet either. I'm sure there'll be many more bulbs flowering at Harlow Carr by March.

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  8. It is good to see things starting to come to life isn't it, lovely snowdrops! I haven't seen cornus in that really dark colour before either, I wonder if it is a new variety as the plants don't look particularly old do they. Lovely whatever though! xx

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    1. I love this time of year when everything starts to grow again and the whole year is ahead of us. I'm not sure about the cornus, I shall have to look at the label when we're next there so that I can look it up when I get home.

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  9. It'll be interesting to see the changes, month by month. How come everyone else's snowdrops seem not to be pecked?

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    1. Ha, no one else has Ptolemy to contend with. I think the biggest changes will be seen over the next two or three months, I'm looking forward to it.

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  10. Lovely photos, great idea to follow the garden through its seasons, shall follow with interest, nice to get inspiration too xcx

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    1. It will be good to see all the changes in the garden throughout the year. I think there's lots of inspiration to be found in these type of gardens.

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  11. We were there on Monday. We love the walk from there to Valley Gardens. the gardens at Harlow Carr look poised to bloom; can't wait.

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    1. It's great to watch a garden right the way through the year and see all the changes. I'm sure there'll be lots more colour in March once all the bulbs are blooming fully.

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  12. Your photos are really great. I love the dogwood and silver birch. It's lovely to see the way the garden changes during the year.

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    1. Silver birch are beautiful in winter, such a fabulous colour which is shown off when the leaves have dropped. It will be good to see how the garden changes over the course of the year.

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  13. What a lovely idea to visit every month, we are doing the same in a local wood.

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    1. I'm sure you'll see lots of changes in your local wood during the course of the year too, it's wonderful to see what each season brings.

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  14. Oh....those dogwoods are simply stunning, you just can't beat them in winter, I loved the hellebores and silver birch too. Gosh, your rhubarb is coming up already????xxx

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    1. There's so much to see even this early in the year, plenty of interest about. My rhubarb is just starting to grow, though I think it'll be a while before it's ready to pick.

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  15. The dogwoods are stunning - Their position in those interestingly shaped beds where they can be seen clearly show them at their best. It'll be interesting to visit at different times throughout the year and record the changes.

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    1. You can see the dogwoods as you enter the garden and they really catch your eye, such a wonderful display. I'm looking forward to seeing the changes as I visit each month.

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