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Jul
Harrogate’s Harlow Carr celebrates major milestone
Today (July 1) marks the 25th anniversary of Harlow Carr becoming the Royal Horticultural Society’s first garden in the North of England.
The gardening charity acquired Harlow Carr when it merged with the Northern Horticultural Society in 2001.
Back then, the site in Harrogate had 72,000 visitors a year and employed 11 gardeners. It now attracts over half a million visitors annually, employs 176 staff, and adds more than 1,600 plants a year to its collections.
RHS Harlow Carr’s valley setting — it was once part of the ancient Forest of Knaresborough and later home to Victorian spa gardens fed by natural springs — has always defined its character.
It was founded in 1950 to trial plants suited to the cooler, wetter northern climate and continues to showcase how species can thrive in the north.
Its success influenced the creation of RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford, which opened in 2021.
To mark the 25-year milestone, adult entry fee has been reduced to £4.50 for adults and children visit for free until Friday. There will also be a talk on the history of RHS Harlow Carr at 11am on Friday.
Developments over the last 25 years include the Queen Mother’s lake, built in 2002, the Bramall Learning Centre, which opened in 2010 and the restoration of the Harrogate Arms pub as a café, which opened in 2024.
Head of site Liz Thwaite said:
“What makes RHS Harlow Carr so special is that while it has evolved and expanded enormously, it has never lost its unique character and sense of belonging.”
Curator Fiona Slight said planned new developments included revitalising the streamside area and improved paths.
The Harrogate Arms is now a cafe.
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