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Jun
RHS appoints new curator at Harlow Carr
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The Royal Horticultural Society has named Fiona Slight as the next curator at RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate.
Ms Slight will take over in September from Paul Cook, who is leaving the role after 12 years as curator to pursue personal endeavours.
Her horticulture career started in 1989 as a 17-year-old trainee with the National Trust for Scotland at Belhaven House Garden in Dunbar.
She subsequently worked as a propagator in New Zealand and was employed by Johnsons of Whixley before taking on a horticulture teaching role at Askham Bryan College in York.
Ms Slight also spent several years as a kitchen gardener at Mount St John Garden in Thirsk and at Rudding Park Hotel, before moving into a head gardener role at the latter.
She has spent the last two-and-a-half years as garden manager at Harlow Carr managing the alpine, streamside, woodland and floral teams.
She said:
Horticulture has been a lifelong passion, and it is an honour to work for the RHS and at Harlow Carr to carry on the great work that Paul Cook and the previous curators have achieved over the last 75 years.
Liz Thwaite, head of RHS Garden Harlow Carr, said Ms Slight’s “passion for horticulture and vision for RHS Garden Harlow Carr left us in no doubt she is the best person to take on the role”.
She added Mr Cook left an impressive legacy that included creating some of the most iconic plantings in any of the RHS gardens.
The Thaliana Bridge and redevelopment of the Harrogate Arms and landscape opened in 2024, creating focus in the garden, bringing coherence to both the landscape and visitor experience.
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