Harlow Carr

A place to chat about anything you like, including non-gardening related subjects. Just keep it clean, please!

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Catherine
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Posts: 1457
Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:46 pm
Location: Pendle Lancashire

My husband has hurt his knee and is unable to walk far or cycle or dig in the garden, he is awaiting an operation so until then we have to do gentle walking. Today we spent a very pleasant few hours at Harlow Carr, only the second time we have been there. The first time it poured with rain, we had our granddaughter with us and did not get to see the whole garden. Today the weather has been lovely and although there is very little coming through in the borders except spring bulbs, just walking around and looking at what is due to come through was just a pleasure. I managed to find some seeds I haven't got and some root trainers which our local garden centres don't seem to sell, and I wanted to try them. It is 7.10 and the sun is still shining into our garden and once we get used to losing an hour in bed we will be fine. Today is one of the reasons I love my garden. I am now motivated to carry on gardening even though I have lost three lots of plantings of broad beans in my polytunnel to mice and my nastutiums and sweet peas tomorrow I will start again (already caught two of the b*****s.) :D
PLUMPUDDING
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Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:14 pm
Location: Stocksbridge, S. Yorks

Hi Catherine, Harlow Carr is one of my favourite gardens, and I usually go for my birthday in February as there is usually something flowering. I've not been this year though. I'm glad you had a good day out. It is on my list for a day out very soon - probably after the Harogate Spring Show.
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Geoff
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Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
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We also love HC and try and go 2 or 3 times a year - my wife joined the RHS which makes it free. We like the hardy plant sales and the apple day. We pinched seeds from the Primulas near the stream one year so now have our own multicoloured patch but it doesn't compare with theirs below!
(Root trainers are stocked at LBS Trawden)
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Catherine
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Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:46 pm
Location: Pendle Lancashire

Yes we also joined yesterday. I will go and have a look at LBS for root trainers. Never thought of them. The gunneras were just starting to appear by the stream. We are going to wait a few weeks and go again, I think it will be one of my regular places to visit this year when my husband is working. I see there is a worm day soon, which sounds interesting.
Monika
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Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:13 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Just turned the computer on and looked at this website - and find all your praise of Harlow Carr. I spent all morning there today with two of my granddaughters (11 and nearly 13). The weather was beautiful and we walked right round and then spent nearly an hour in the new birdhide, seeing bullfinches, chaffinches, blue, great, coal and long-tailed tits, great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch, siskins and lots of others. The impressive skunk cabbage is just coming up at the sulphur beck! We finished out visit with a tasty cake each from Betty's cake shop which we ate on the way home to my daughter's, about 30 minutes walk from the gardens. A good time was head by all!

On Sunday 6 April Harlow Carr is holding a 'Worm Day' with lots of activities for young and old, sounds very interesting.
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mandylew
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Posts: 318
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2005 6:55 pm
Location: tyne and wear

I used to live in Harrogate and visited regularly, my brother in law was gardener then at the time so we never had to pay. We have moved away, but always visit when we are back.

I have just bought 2 sets deep rootrainers from e-bay came to £5.99 with the postage, he says they are used but were good as new. Seller is hendersonles, I think he has lots.
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Catherine
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Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:46 pm
Location: Pendle Lancashire

Hi Monika. Glad you enjoyed HC today it was lovely yesterday also. I am showing my ignorance as I thought those plants coming up at the side of the beck was gunnera. Never heard of skunk cabbage are these one and the same? It will be interesting to go again and see what they look like in a month. We also spent ages at the hide. I would imagine that as the year moves on the hide will get very busy. Was it busy today or did you have it almost to yourselves?
Monika
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Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:13 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

We had the hide to ourselves for most of the time until another granny turned up with two little boys who were particularly chuffed to see the brightly coloured bullfinches which showed up really well in the sunshine. Unfortunately, they all proceeded to point out of the hide windows with their hands and thereby chased much of the birdlife off.
Apropos skunk cabbage: the yellow shoots coming up were skunk cabbage (Lysichiton - plant of the month for April on the RHS website!), but gunnera were emerging too at the stream edge.
Catherine
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Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:46 pm
Location: Pendle Lancashire

Thanks Monika. I had never heard of Skunk Cabbage but assumed that the pointy things at the edge of the stream was gunnera. Never having seen gunnera emerging only seen it in full leaf. I am going again in the next few weeks so will have a closer look. I love sitting in bird hides watching the birds. We go to Stocks Reservoir in the Forest of Bowland but the vandals got in there and wrecked the place. They have built a new one further along where the lazy so and sos wont walk any further along. Sorry to ramble.
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