Visiting the four RHS Gardens this year

This year is my second year as a member of the RHS, and at the start of the year I wondered if I could manage to visit all four of their gardens. Some, I knew would be easier than others. Living in London, getting to Wisley in Surrey and Hyde Hall in Essex are relatively easy and are the gardens I’ve been to most.

The other two, Harlow Carr in Yorkshire and Rosemoor in Devon, I’d never been to, but with relatives in Devon I thought this was do-able. We were in Devon in March and it was on our ‘to visit’ list but our visit was cut short when the snow started to come in. We knew we’d be back later in the year, and so my plan was to sneak in a visit then. That was last weekend and even though the forecast was rain, we made it happen.

Though if we’d not made it to Harlow Carr, made possible by a tactical UK break, then maybe we’d have left it for another year. I’m glad we didn’t though as it’s nice to meet the challenges we set ourselves, even if visiting each of the RHS gardens in a year isn’t the most strenuous of challenges!

RHS Wisley

Wisley in Surrey is the RHS’ historic home and the RHS garden I’ve visited the most. The hot houses are always a favourite spot in January and February, as not only are they warm but they’re full of butterflies and exotic plants. Other usual haunts are the alpine houses and the vegetable garden, and I’m continually amazed by the Bonsai too.

IN THE GLASS HOUSE

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

SUCCULENTS

THE ALPINE HOUSE

RHS Hyde Hall

I’ve only been to this garden a few times, despite the fact that it’s only in Essex but each time it’s been full of sculptures. They’ve had some building work done and it was great to see the new visitor centre and cafe open on my last visit. And I finally got into the new vegetable garden, which opened a week after my previous visit, bad timing or what?

ON THE SCULPTURE TRAIL

EXQUISITE FLOWERS

DELIGHTFUL DAHLIAS

THE DRY GARDEN

RHS Harlow Carr

My first visit was in July during our week in Yorkshire, and as you can tell from the photos we had great weather. I realised while creating this post that I’ve not shared much from there yet, but on the plus side there’s some sunny posts to look forward to over the winter.

CONTAINERS

THE STREAMSIDE WALK

INSECTS IN THE BORDERS

JUST STUNNING

RHS Rosemoor

The final garden and the last one I visited, after an aborted attempt much earlier in the year. I’m not sure why we haven’t been before when we head down to Devon normally at least once a year. It’s a place we’ll be going to again, and while it was full of autumn colours on our visit it’ll be great to see it in a different season to see how the garden changes.

AUTUMN COLOURS

PUMPKINS

MEDLARS

THE HOBBIT HOUSE

So there’s a selection of photos from each of the four gardens, I’m not sure I’ll manage to get to them all again next year - but you never know. And then in 2020 the challenge increases as the new RHS garden in Manchester is due to open, now that I’ll be keen to see.

Have you been to any of these RHS gardens, or more than one?

Containers with a difference at RHS Harlow Carr

Looking back at my photos from our Yorkshire trip earlier in the summer I realised I’d not shared any photos from my visit to RHS Harlow Carr, which was one of the main reasons for heading North. I still have ambitions to visit all four of the RHS gardens this year, and with Wisley and Hyde Hall already visited this northern gem was one that needed some planning, as it’s not just around the corner from South London. 

The final garden, if I manage it, is RHS Rosemoor in Devon, and you’ll not be sure to hear I have a plan for that too. I’ve already had one attempt visiting there scuppered by the snow, so I’m hoping everything aligns for a visit in November.  

But more of that another day. I do have plenty of photos to share from Harlow Carr and I’m starting with some unusual containers which lined the steps down into the garden, which I’m sure many people missed in their eagerness to explore the gardens proper, but I do like an out of the ordinary container or two and it was MOH that was shuffling me along to see what else we could find. 

And when it comes to succulents in an old boot, that’s a pretty tough job. 

I’d plans to plant up some old wellies, but MOH wasn’t so keen, but as you know that’s unlikely to stop me, and I’m sure when they’re in full grow he’ll be more appreciative. 

A plain cup and saucer was the perfect setting for this vibrant pink flower, which also had the look of a succulent about it. I’m less sure about this, mainly because I’m sure I’d definitely over water and end up drowning it, which wouldn’t be good. 

Strawberries in a wire basket on the other hand could be just my thing. I’ve brought many strawberry plants back from the allotment which are currently growing in several trugs, and I really need to sort out how to grow them properly next year. 

Olive oil cans have long been another ambition of mine, we do use olive oil but not this much and I’ve yet to source a supply of empty tins that works - I’m open to ideas on that one, if you have any! 

I think they’d make a great edging to a plain path or on the patio grouped togetuand would be ideal for herbs. Galvanised, or even lead buckets are also on my wish list, and seeing the succulents looking so good against the grey hasn’t deterred me.  

In fact you’ve probably already noticed that succulents and small leafed plants feature heavily in these containers, and I’m sure that’s no accident as they’re more likely to withstand drought and trying conditions. 

Even the containers which had a ‘garden’ planted in them generally followed this rule of thumb, and these people at RHS Harlow Carr know their stuff.  

I also have enamel bowl envy after seeing the photo above, though I’m not sure if I could use one as a container - I guess that would depend on its condition.  

So here’s a brief intro to my visit to the RHS’ most northerly garden, and there’s plenty more to come. But what do you think, are any of these containers for you? 

The Rose Garden at Parcevall Hall

Today I’m sharing a burst of sunshine, both literally as it was a glorious day for my visit and because it’s great to look around an independent garden.  I think there’s some real gems out there and we often overlook these, unless we already know them or they’re close by.  I discovered Parcevall Hall as I was scouring maps of the local area on our trip to Yorkshire to see what was close by.  It wasn’t that far away, as the crow flies, but in reality it was more up and down than I expected as it’s in Wharfedale in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  I don’t know about you but I find driving on steep and windy country roads exhausting, less than walking obviously, but tiring nonetheless given the additional concentration needed.

It was worth it though, as the gardens didn’t disappoint.  I’ve plenty of photos to share from here and some will no doubt brighten up the chillier days ahead, and I’ll not apologise for sharing some more sunshine when I think we need it. To buck the trend I’m not starting at the beginning of our visit either, instead starting with the Rose Garden, which at the end of June was full of the heady scent of roses, a scent that until our trip to the Loire I didn’t get.

The garden was set out symmetrically, its paths willing you to wander around.  There were places to stop and enjoy the garden, but with so much to explore we didn’t pause as much as perhaps we would have if I hadn’t already planned for us to go to RHS Harlow Carr in the afternoon, and squeeze in an afternoon tea at Betty’s - I told you I’d packed it in, didn’t I?

But taking some time to wander around and enjoy the roses was just what we needed, and there were certainly plenty to see and smell, all types and colours too.  There were roses with tightly packed petals and more open, relaxed roses.  Pinks, whites and reds the most prominent colours.  And, oh the smell in the sunshine, heavenly.

Even then I remember thinking it wouldn’t be a garden I’d look forward to dead-heading, there were just so many blooms. You’ll see though that the garden looks no worse for a few decaying roses, and of course if everything was dead-headed there’d be no rose hips. 

I normally favour roses with plenty of petals, but in this garden these delicate pink edged blooms caught my eye, and so my journey into the world of roses, with this rose with its more wild rose style flowers knocking me for six.  

And look. Proof, that a garden can still look pretty and be enjoyed when it’s not perfect. The photo above shows every stage of flowering for a rose, and if there was a rosehip I’d have a full house! 

That’s pretty reassuring, isn’t it?