RHS Harlow Carr

Today we had a day out to RHS Harlow Carr, with my parents. We're trying to make the most of our RHS membership, so we'll probably go a few times: probably next in January, to see the winter garden. Short trips like that are a luxury of free admission, I feel, so we'll try to get our money's worth!

As normal, lots of ideas and plants. I always like gunnera (G. manicata or, Mutant Rhubarb), although it's entirely impractical in a 'normal' sized garden. A more modest-sized rhubarb might feature in our bog-garden, though.

Gunnera manicata (© Ian 2012)

We're looking out for heucheras and heucherellas to tie the colour-wheel beds together, and this one caught our eyes. We also spotted a heuchera 'Cherry Cola', which might have promise.

Unlabelled heuchera (© Ian 2012) 

Harlow Carr has the classic long herbaceous perennial borders you might expect, and these are in full splendour, in late summer sun. There are nice touches bringing the beds together, too, like box cones at all the corners, which help unify the very different planting schemes.

Borders at RHS Harlow Carr (© Ian 2012) 

We spotted a rather nice backdrop to a seat, which was similar to something we saw at the Tatton Park show (second photo down)

Another promising seat idea (© Ian 2012)

I've been trying to work out how to demarcate the pathways through the 'copse' (bottom left corner of the garden), which is going to have chippings mulch over it all, with paths left clear of plants (with the assistance of weed suppressant membrane). This, from Harlow Carr's herb garden, seems like a good idea that will blend in nicely, and could (with some work) be self-made.

Willow 'wattle' edging for paths (© Ian 2012) 

Lastly, another seat, that was beautifully incorporated into a bed. A possibility for the bench next to the pond, I think:

Bench in a bed (© Ian 2012)

While browsing through the plant shop, we also found a half-price walnut tree, which has been on my wish-list for a while. It's a cultivated form, Broadview, which should crop in a few years. Ideally, we'd have two, to improve pollination, so I shall keep looking for a second.

There's an excellent RHS publication on walnuts, too: Walnuts Without the Wait.