The temperatures have risen across the Harrogate district this week and that summer feeling has well and truly kicked in.
And what better time than to enjoy some of the stunning flora and fauna that our area has to offer.
There are lots of gorgeous gardens to explore over the next few months as part of the National Garden Scheme.
The initiative gives visitors unique access to over 3,500 exceptional private gardens in the UK and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities. The scheme also promotes the physical and mental health benefits of gardens.
We have put together a list of the participating gardens in our district from now until August:
Birstwith Hall, Birstwith
When: Sunday, June 19, 2pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
About: A charming and varied four-acre garden nestling in a secluded Yorkshire dale.
A formal garden and ornamental orchard, as well as extensive lawns leading to a picturesque stream and a large pond. There is also a walled garden and Victorian greenhouse.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Yorke House and White Rose Cottage, Dacre Banks
When: Sunday, June 26, 11am-5pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
About: An award-winning English country garden in the heart of Nidderdale.
A series of distinct areas flowing through two acres of ornamental garden. There are also colour-themed borders, as well as a natural pond and stream with delightful waterside plantings. Secluded seating areas and attractive views.
The adjacent cottage has a recently developed garden designed for wheelchair access. There is a large collection of hostas and an orchard picnic area.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Prospect House, Burton Leonard
When: Friday, June 24, 1-.30am-2pm
Admission: Adults £35, children go free
Booking: A limited number of tickets have been made available for this special event. Tickets must be booked in advance here
About: Following a welcome by the owner, there will be talks on the development of the garden, the creation of a cutting garden and colour-themed borders plus demonstration of cut flower arrangements in the potting shed. Buffet lunch included.
Prospect House features a one-acre walled, landscaped garden with ornamental pond, pergola, large oval lawned area, cutting and vegetable beds.
There is a colour-themed herbaceous long border, ‘hot’ borders, and a physic bed. There is also mature hedging, trees and seasonal interest throughout. Additional new planting areas are being established.
A renovated outhouse has been converted into a potting area used for garden workshops.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Cobble Cottage, Whixley
When: Sunday, July 3,11pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £4, children go free
About: An imaginatively designed, constantly changing, small cottage garden full of decorative architectural plants and old family favourites.
There is an Interesting water garden, containers and use of natural materials. It also features a black and white courtyard garden and Japanese-style garden with growing willow screen.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Group openings – gardens that open on the same day
Grafton gardens, Marton-cum-Grafton
Well House.
When: Sunday, July 3,11am-5pm
Admission: Adults £6, children go free
About: These two gardens in adjacent rural villages are also connected by a public footpath.
Paddock House is on an elevated site with extensive views down a large sloping lawn to a wildlife pond. A plant lover’s garden where the house is encircled by a profusion of pots and extensive plant collections combining cottage gardening with the Mediterranean and Tropical. A curved terrace of Yorkshire stone and steps using gravel and wood sleepers leads to many seating areas culminating in a cutting garden and small greenhouse.
Well House, in Grafton, nestles under the hillside, with long views to the White Horse. This one-and-a-half acre garden was begun 40 years ago and is constantly changing. A traditional English cottage garden with herbaceous borders, climbing roses and ornamental shrubs with a variety of interesting species. Paths meander through the borders to an orchard with ducks. Refreshments are available at The Punch Bowl pub, a five-minute walk from Well House.
Dacre Banks and Summerbridge Gardens
Woodlands Cottage.
When: Sunday, July 10,12pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £10, children go free
About: Dacre Banks and Summerbridge Gardens are situated in the beautiful countryside of Nidderdale and designed to take advantage of the scenic Dales landscape.
The gardens are linked by attractive walks along the valley, but each may be accessed individually by car.
Low Hall has a romantic walled garden set on different levels around the historic C17 family home (not open) with herbaceous borders, shrubs, climbing roses and a tranquil water garden. The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Riverside House is an atmospheric waterside garden on many levels, supporting shade-loving plants and features a Victorian folly, fernery, courtyard and naturalistic riverside plantings. The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Woodlands Cottage is a garden of many rooms, with exquisite formal and informal plantings, and an attractive wildflower meadow which harmonises with mature woodland. The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Yorke House has extensive colour-themed borders and water features with beautiful waterside plantings. The newly developed garden at White Rose Cottage is specifically designed for wheelchair users. The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
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The Priory, Nun Monkton
When: Thursday, July 7,11pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £6, children go free
About: A large country garden surrounding William and Mary house (not open), at the confluence of the River Nidd and River Ouse.
It features species trees, calm swathes of lawn, clipped yew, beech and box, formal rose garden and mixed borders.
There is a new area of soft perennial planting and informal parkland. There area also kitchen gardens with a greenhouse and swimming pool where teas will be served.
The Nun Monkton Ferryboat will be running a special service on this day, connecting Nun Monkton with Beningbrough and Moor Monkton, from the riverbank next to The Priory.
Markenfield Hall, Ripon
When: Tuesday, July 12, 2pm-3pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
Booking: By guided tour only (max 10 people). Tickets must be booked in advance here
About: The work of the hall’s owner Lady Deirdre Curteis and gardener Giles Gilbey.
Mature planting combines with newly designed areas, where walls with espaliered apricots and figs frame a mix of hardy perennials.
In 2018 the farmhouse border was replanted to eventually blend seamlessly with the hall’s main east border.
Goldsborough Hall, Goldsborough
When: Sunday, July 24, 11pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
About: An historic 12-acre garden and formal landscaped grounds in parkland setting around Grade II*, 17th-century house, which was the former residence of HRH Princess Mary, daughter of George V and Queen Mary.
Goldsborough Hall boasts Gertrude Jekyll inspired 120ft double herbaceous borders, a rose garden and a woodland walk.
There is a large restored kitchen garden and glasshouse which produces fruit and vegetables for the hall’s commercial kitchens.
Greencroft, Littlethorpe, Ripon
When: Sunday, August 7, 12pm-4pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
About: A half-acre informal country garden created by the owners. It features long herbaceous borders packed with colourful late summer perennials, annuals and exotics culminating in a circular garden with views through to large wildlife pond and surrounding countryside.
Special ornamental features include a gazebo, temple pavilions, formal pool, stone wall with mullions and gate to pergola and cascade water feature.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Knaresborough’s Dower House accelerates closure of spa and gymMembers of Knaresborough’s Dower House gym and spa have been told that the facilities will close next month, seven weeks earlier than originally planned.
The Stray Ferret reported last month the gym and spa were closing after the hotel was acquired by the Inn Collection Group (ICG) in December last year.
At the time the group said the gym and spa, which includes a swimming pool and sauna and provides beauty treatments, would close on August 31 as part of a “multi-million pound expansion” plan.
However, letters sent to members this week said the facilities will now close on July 11. Kate Bentley, rooms director for ICG, said the closure was brought forward due to a decline in users and rising operating costs.
She said:
“Since buying The Dower House in December 2022 we have spent a lot of time familiarising ourselves with the hotel and surrounding area while meeting and listening to customer feedback.
“Dower House — including the spa — is in desperate need of investment which is long-overdue. We have made the decision to accelerate the closure of this part of the hotel.
“We appreciate this may be disappointing for spa users, however we look forward to carrying out a significant investment in the building that a wide range of people can enjoy.”
The ICG has said that all Dower House members who chose to move to the Crown Hotel in Boroughbridge could have their joining fee waived. The Boroughbridge hotel is part of the Coaching Inn Group and also has gym, pool and spa facilities.
Read more:
- Harrogate cabbies deliver letter to council protesting at changes
- Harrogate’s Ernest Jones jewellery store closes
Michael Ward, a member, said:
New pothole machine could be coming to Harrogate district roads“I am disappointed at the closure, and the way it has been handled. The first I knew about it was when the story appeared on the Stray Ferret. I am not impressed with the Inn Collection Group.
“I will therefore not be taking up their offer of joining the Crown Hotel at Boroughbridge, despite the joining fee being waived. It’s disappointing because the Dower House is the only facility of its kind in Knaresborough.”
A machine that can repair potholes and other road damage in minutes could be coming to the Harrogate district.
Highways engineers are trialing the JCB Pothole Pro, which is said to be able to repair a typical pothole more quickly than conventional methods.
The machine has different heads, which can plane off areas of road surface, chop out sections of carriageway and clear up debris when the repair is complete, providing options to deal with different types of repairs.
Because the processes are automated the risk of health problems caused by hand / arm vibration from using power tools is eliminated.
NYHighways, which is the arm’s-length company responsible for maintaining roads on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council, is evaluating the machine in the Hambleton district.
The Stray Ferret asked how much the machines cost, how many the council was thinking of buying and when it would make a decision.
A council spokesman said it had nothing further to add. However, the machines have been widely reported to cost £165,000 each.
Council leader Carl Les (left) watches the machine in operation.
Keane Duncan, the Conservative councillor for Norton who is also the executive member for highways, said in a statement:
“We are putting this machine to the test so we can evaluate how it works in real-world conditions and a decision will be made later on whether NYHighways should add it to their fleet.
“Whatever the outcome, road users can be confident we are always aiming to provide them with the best service possible.”
Ross Bullerwell, managing director of NYHighways, said in a statement:
“The JCB Pothole Pro system is just one innovation we are trialling, with many more planned over the next year in order to find solutions that are the right place, right time, and right price for the county’s roads.”
Read more:
- No replacement buses for Harrogate district commuters during strike
- Reservoir parking costs could cause ‘tremendous problems’ on nearby roads
Body found in search for missing Minskip man
A body has been found in the search for a missing 31-year-old from Minskip, near Boroughbridge.
Luke Earnshaw was reported missing after leaving home on Saturday just before 2.30pm.
He was seen walking down Thorndikes Lane towards Staveley.
North Yorkshire Police said the body found today has not been formally identified but is believed to be that of the missing man. His family have been informed.
Posting on a local Facebook group, a family member thanked everyone who had helped in the search for Mr Earnshaw.
She also praised police officers’ support to the family, adding:
“He’s finally at peace after suffering with mental health for many years.”
Read more:
Knaresborough, Pateley and Markington could get new electric vehicle charging points
North Yorkshire County Council is to bid for £2 million worth of funding to install electric vehicle charging points in rural areas.
The proposal comes as the government has launched a £10 million pilot fund to rollout the infrastructure across the country.
The county council’s bid would see 70 charging points installed across the seven districts. It has suggested three areas in the Harrogate district, including Markington, Pateley Bridge and Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough.
A submission to government to bid for the funding was backed by Cllr Keane Duncan, executive member for highways, this morning.
Cllr Duncan said:
“We have embraced this opportunity to bring forward the strongest possible proposal within the tight 12-week deadline to benefit rural parts of our county.
“This is a competitive process across the whole of England for a relatively small pilot funding pot, so success is not guaranteed, but this bid is another clear signal of our ambition to improve transport options for people across our large, rural county.”
Read more:
- Harrogate council awards £280,000 electric vehicle contract to London firm
- Locations of 34 electric vehicle charge points revealed
- Harrogate businesses go electric as number of cars licensed doubles
The charging points would be powered by renewable energy, including small-scale hydroelectric generators and solar panels linked to battery storage.
Council officials said the move would help to tackle poor connectivity and opportunities in rural areas of the county.
The bid for funding is supported by district and borough councils and the county council plans to work with NYnet, the council-owned broadband company, and Northern Powergrid on the scheme.
Harrogate Borough Council recently commissioned London company, ConnectedKerb, to install 34 charging points across the district as part of a £280,000 contract.
World-class opera singers to perform in Aldborough tomorrowWorld-class opera singers used to performing in New York and Paris will be at the picture-perfect village of Aldborough for a production of Handel’s Theodora tomorrow evening.
The performance will take place on the opening day of the two-week Northern Aldborough Festival, which hosts some huge names in jazz, opera and pop music.
Theodora will be the biggest performance in the festival’s 29-year history and will be performed in the 14th century St Andrew’s Church, which is rich in history.
The Stray Ferret dropped in on rehearsals at the church this morning and met Robert Ogden, the festival’s director.
He said:
“There isn’t a huge amount up north where you can go to a small rural community like Aldborough and hear world class artists that have just stepped off platforms in London, Paris or New York.
“You can get very close. Some stages are bigger than this church, so you’re right in the thick of it hearing these world class performances.”
Theodora is being played by soprano Fflur Wyn and directed by Joe Austin, whose recent credits include Katya Kabanova at the Royal Opera House.
It will include a line-up of soloists, chorus and orchestra under the baton of Baroque specialist, Julian Perkins.
Mr Ogden called the opera “a tragic tale”.
“It’s about persecution and a small sect of Christians in Pagan times that are in hiding practicing their religion. There’s an edict from the emperor that says anyone who doesn’t worship the pagan god will be killed.
“It does take quite a dark turn but it’s very moving. It’s about a noblewoman called Theodora who is very devout and a young Roman soldier who who wants to rescue her.”
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Other festival highlights
The festival, near Boroughbridge, will also include an appearance by the British bass, Sir John Tomlinson, who will star in a new opera by John Casken based on Shakespeare’s King Lear.
There will also be performances from Blur’s Britpop rebel rock star turned cheesemaker, Alex James, and classical guitar player Sean Shibe.
Other acts include an evening of jazz by Claire Martin and clarinetists Julian Bliss performing with leading pianist James Baillieu. Clare Hammond, a leading light on the UK piano scene, will play Schubert, Stravinsky and Schumann.
As well as established names, the festival supports young talent. It hosts a Young Artists Showcase, as well as the upcoming harp and saxophone duo, The Polaris Duo.
On the final evening, the grounds of Aldborough Manor will be opened for the festival finale, an outdoor concert with fireworks that often attracts around 1,000 people.
The last night concert features Harrogate-born vocalist Alex Denny of The Big Cheese, with high-voltage pop and rock covers, supported by So 80s, who set a light show to 80s tracks.
To book tickets for Theodora or any of the other events visit here.
New omicron strain sees Harrogate district covid rate riseThe rate of covid in the Harrogate district has more than doubled since the end of May.
Latest North Yorkshire County Council data shows there are currently 113 positive cases per 100,000 people in the district.
The rate was at as low as 52 cases per 100,000 people on May 30.
Whilst the rate has begun to climb up again for the first time since March, it is still far below the peaks seen in January and April 2022.
Source – North Yorkshire County Council
North Yorkshire County Council public health consultant Dr Victoria Turner said the rise was being driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of omicron.
The sub-variants have also caused high rates in other countries across the world.
She said:
“There is evidence that BA.4 and BA.5 are more transmissible than previous variants, and there is limited protection from infection with previous variants against BA.4 and BA.5.
“The ways to prevent the spread of BA.4 and BA.5 remain the same as for other covid variants. Meeting outdoors where possible or in well-ventilated areas indoors, wearing a face covering in enclosed or crowded spaces, and good hand and respiratory hygiene will all reduce the risk of transmission.”
Dr Turner said anyone who has tested positive for covid should stay at home for five days.
Covid tests are available to be purchased from pharmacies.
Read More:
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Mobile speed van is not ours, says North Yorkshire Police
North Yorkshire Police has denied changing its mobile speed vans in response to an image that has been circulating on social media.
The photograph (above) of the dark blue and yellow vehicle has caused a stir on local Facebook groups, with people complaining that the new vans are harder to recognise.
The image, which has been shared thousands of times, has also sparked a big debate about speeding and mobile cameras in the Harrogate district in general.
Many comments support them and say drivers should not to go too fast in the first place. However there are also a number of people opposing the vehicles, claiming they are just “money spinners”.
Read more:
- Police launch urgent appeal for missing Minskip man
- Ripon man who tried to meet underage girls pleads guilty to carrying knife
The van is alleged to have been spotted in North Yorkshire, however the force has denied it being one of its fleet.
A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:
“This isn’t our van, our vans don’t look like that.”
He added that it appeared to have no links to North Yorkshire Police and therefore was unable to comment further.
Why Elderflower Homecare is a great place for carers
This advertorial is sponsored by Elderflower Homecare.
Three years ago, Katie Livesley was working as a nanny but, after looking after her auntie who had early-onset dementia, she decided to change tack and she is now building her career at Elderflower Homecare.
Starting out as a homecare and rehabilitation assistant in August 2019, Katie has worked her way up to care co-ordinator. Now, she not only cares for clients in their own homes, but she also spends part of her time working in the office, supporting clients and staff.
Elderflower Homecare is a care provider covering Boroughbridge, Ripon and local villages and supporting people in their own homes.
Despite having no previous experience in health and social care, Katie was given the support and training to develop.
Elderflower offered her in-house training and the opportunity to undertake a National Vocational Qualification in health and social care.
The company also supports its carers through paid mileage and providing uniforms and PPE.
Katie said the team has helped her feel at home.
She said:
“It’s just nice to be part of a big family.
“Everybody helps each other out and every day is totally different.”
At Elderflower, she helps a range of clients including people with disabilities and dementia.
But her responsibilities do not stop there, Katie also looks after marketing, social media and publishes a monthly newsletter.
Part of a team of around 40 staff, she said carers at Elderflower are given the space to build a rapport with their clients.
Katie said:
“We are provided with our uniform and a work phone. We get paid our mileage as we all need to drive to see our clients.
“It’s a really worthwhile job and I feel we’re helping our clients lead the lives they want in their own homes.”
For more information on how you can join Elderflower Homecare as a carer, visit their website.
Man jailed for scamming two Harrogate district women of life savingsA man has been jailed for scamming two Harrogate district women out of more than £450,000 and their entire life savings.
Police say the women were groomed over several months and have been left “absolutely devastated”.
They were called by a person claiming to be from the police, who said their accounts had been compromised.
He advised them to go to their bank and withdraw all their money in cash, which would then be picked up by a ‘police courier’ for safekeeping.
The two victims, whose names and precise locations are not known, were also told to purchase gold bullion with money from their bank accounts and then the gold was collected by the ‘couriers’ to be kept safe.
Ashley Thompson, 26, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for money laundering and fraud by false representation at the Inner London Crown Court yesterday.
Year-long police investigation
North Yorkshire Police received reports a year ago of victims being targeted by the crime, which is known as courier fraud scam.
Officers from the force’s economic crime unit worked with gold dealers to raise awareness of the crime and put other dealers on notice to watch out for suspicious gold sales.
On November 9, they were alerted to Thompson trying to sell one of the gold bullion bars in a London pawnbroker.
Working with City of London Police, two North Yorkshire Police officers travelled to London to arrest him and he was subsequently charged with fraud and money laundering offences.
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In interview, Thompson claimed he had hired a lock-up storage facility and that he had found the gold bar in a bag of tools but had no idea who owned it. He said he had waited to see if anyone claimed it but when no one did, he decided to try and pawn it for cash.
The investigating officers found that Thompson had created fake documents to prove the lock-up facility existed, when in reality it did not.
Victims ‘groomed’ over months
North Yorkshire Police Detective Constable Neil Brodhurst from the force’s economic crime unit, who led the investigation, said:
“Throughout the trial Thompson denied any knowledge of the gold bar’s origin, sticking to his story that he had simply found it in a bag of tools. He also couldn’t explain why he’d gone to the lengths of faking a hire contract for a non-existent lock-up facility to show the pawnbroker.
“The two victims of this courier fraud were absolutely devastated by it. They were groomed over a period of several months with their trust and good nature callously exploited to the extent that they lost their entire life savings to someone claiming to be a police officer.
“We unfortunately see courier fraud targeting North Yorkshire residents time and time again and I’d like to take this opportunity to issue another warning about it. The fraudsters use incredibly calculated and manipulative tactics to convince their victims that they are legitimate police officers or bank officials and will keep going until they get what they want.
“Remember, the police or your bank will never contact you and ask you to move or transfer money and will definitely never ask you to purchase high value items or to hand over your bank cards. Please be on your guard and share this warning with your friends, family and networks.”
DC Brodhurst added he hoped Thompson’s sentence “will serve as some closure for our victims”.
Thompson, of Margery Street, London, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation and was found guilty of money laundering.
He received a 15 month prison sentence for money laundering and a concurrent 6 month sentence for fraud by false representation.