Attention! Soldiers from a North Yorkshire regiment will be on hand to welcome visitors to RHS Garden Harlow Carr’s second flower show, taking place from 23 – 25 June 2017, and showcase the Society’s work in the local community.
Visitors will be greeted on the opening day of the three-day floral event by soldiers from the 6 Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps based in Dishforth who have been working with the RHS to run a ‘Boot Camp’ for more than 500 local school pupils. Hundreds of decommissioned army boots have been planted up and decorated by the pupils in a bid to help brighten up grey community spaces and will be on display for flower show visitors to enjoy. Military wives will also showcase a series of portable gardens created on wooden pallets which will be transported back to their local communities – together with the boots – after the show.
Visitors will also have the chance to browse and buy goods from over 40 specialist plant nurseries and gardening trade stands as well as seek plant advice and horticultural inspiration. Talks and demonstrations including flower arranging with Jonathan Moseley from the BBC’s ‘The Big Allotment Challenge’ and advice from well-known garden writer and broadcaster Martin Fish will take place throughout the long weekend, along with question and answer sessions with members of the RHS Garden Advice Service and talks by a selection of nurseries. Harlow Carr curator Paul Cook will judge the coveted Curator’s Choice Award.
A ‘Big Band’ will play live music throughout the show and there will be plenty of opportunities to recharge the batteries with a cup of tea and a cake at Bettys Café Tea Rooms or Bettys Tea House in the heart of the garden. Internationally-recognised landscape artist David Starley returns as artist in residence and will capture the show in a series of oil paintings.
Horticultural highlights of the show include the spectacle of Harlow Carr’s famous dolly-mixture candelabra primulas running along the length of the garden’s Streamside – one of the longest streamside gardens in the country – as well as the pom-pom heads of almost 8,000 alliums standing to attention in the Main Borders.
Liz Thwaite, Head of RHS Garden Harlow Carr, said: “We’re looking forward to building on the success of last year’s show which attracted almost 12,000 visitors. We have even more specialist nurseries and a wider range of trade stands to choose from as well as a summer art and photography exhibition in the garden’s historic Bath House, or visitors can simply sit back and relax and enjoy a fine summer’s day out in a beautiful Yorkshire garden.”
Visitors are advised that only disabled parking and pre-booked coach parking is available at the garden. Public parking is located at Harrogate Rugby Club on Rudding Lane – drivers should follow SatNav HG3 1DQ just off the A658 which will be clearly signposted. A complimentary park and ride service will be in operation with buses to and from RHS Garden Harlow Carr every 15 minutes from 9.30am – 6.30pm.
Entrance to the show is included in normal garden entry and the show is open from 10am – 5pm each day. Visit www.rhs.org.uk/harlowcarrwhatson or call 01423 565418 for more details including a full list of stands and nurseries attending.
