Having not visited the gardens at RHS Harlow since mid-July, today’s visit was long overdue. We have had some very wet and miserable days recently, so it was nice to get out and enjoy the sunshine. Autumn at Harlow Carr is always a special place to visit just because of the myriad of autumnal colours around the garden.

It was just after 10.30am when we arrived, I was aware before we set off that we were visiting the gardens during the latter part of the school half term holiday which usually means more visitors, but that aside the need to get out of the house for some fresh air and sunshine was greater than worrying about too many visitors. I popped into to Betty’s for takeaway coffee’s before heading into the entrance hall and exchanging pleasantries with the staff on the desk.

The view from the steps looking straight ahead to the summer house and stream in the distance is always quite breathtaking, especially at this time of year with the trees changing to a beautiful golden colour. I stopped for a few minutes to admire the view and enjoy my coffee. It was a lovely morning, about 12c, a gentle breeze with a blue sky and white fluffy clouds, such a contrast to the weather we have been having of late.

We followed our usual clockwise route around the garden, passing the teaching gardens on our left-hand side. There was lots of Pampas grass swaying gently in the light autumnal breeze and beautiful colours too. The views looking across the QM lake are worth a pause. I was pleased to see that since our last visit, they had removed a lot of the weed which had been choking the pond and its wildlife.

I popped over to have a look at the Edwardian sunken garden for a quick peep but there was a bus load of visitors also wanting a look around, so after a quick photograph,  I made a hasty retreat and headed down the slope to the new ‘Thaliana bridge’ over the ‘Queen Mothers lake’, love it or hate it, at twenty one metres long this new bridge certainly enables a different view looking across the lake. Today the lake was flat calm and the reflections of the trees on the water looked beautiful.  

We continued our walk along the ‘streamside footpath’ towards the ‘old bath house’. I enjoy this part of the garden as much as the borders really. The Japanese Maples looked stunning in the sunny autumnal light, as did the Acers, the bright red vibrant foliage making quite a statement.

Civil engineering work continues along the streamside path to reinforce the banks of the stream.  One of the footbridges has been demolished and a new culvert channel fitted where the bridge crosses the stream, work continues to reconstruct the footbridge over the culvert and stream, though the wet weather during October and early November is hindering the progress.

We arrived at the ‘Old Bath House’ which today was holding an arts and crafts exhibition. We popped inside to have a look at some of the beautiful paintings and artwork on display. It is very difficult to have a look around and not part with any money, I came out with a couple of gifts which will be sent to Father Christmas. The picnic area around the Bath House is in the early stages of being redeveloped and was heavily fenced off and out of bounds to the visitors. We took a slight detour to reach ‘Betty’s Tea House’ for some brunch, fortunately we were able to sit on some of the re positioned picnic tables. I was reading on one of the display boards that the RHS had purchased the old Harrogate Arms hotel which stands majestically at the rear of Bettys tea house. The building was originally built in 1844 as a hotel where guests and clients could go ‘to take in the famous Harrogate spa waters’ alas over the years peoples habits change, the building has had several uses since until it became empty. Today the RHS have purchased the building and are busily refurbishing the property and landscaping the surrounding area with the intention of opening it as a cafe in early 2024.

Suitably refreshed we continued along the path which follows the other side of the stream, stopping occasionally to admire the changing colours of the streamside trees and made our way up the gentle slope to the sandstone rock gardens. The sunlight was glistening on the water of the rock pools casting flickering shadows across the water and beautiful reflections. We continued our stroll through the trees to the top perimeter path, the main borders are still colourful and vibrant in the autumn sunshine, the golden grasses gently swaying in the morning breeze, set against the autumnal foliage of the Maples and Acers. It certainly was a wonderful mornings walk around the gardens.