Above: Thanks to Anna Chern
Thank you to all who sent in their snaps of the cherry blossom following on from our article last week.
Here’s our latest gallery of photographs that were sent in from our readers.
A few words of advice: enjoy it while it lasts…
Thanks to Len Downes
Thanks to Len Downes
Thanks to Len Downes
Thanks to Laura Candelier Vargas
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Thanks to Laura Candelier Vargas
Thanks to Laura Candelier Vargas
Thanks to Cathy Burrell
Thanks to Lain Crabb
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Photo of the week: blossoms in bloom on the Stray
This week we’ve had a great response from our readers when we requested photographs of the cherry blossom trees in full bloom on the Stray.
Many thanks to Michelle Bray, Matthew Webber, Erica Johnson, Freya Mills, Len Downes, Douglas Young, James Gould and H & A Milsom for their photographs which are featured this week.
Photo of the Week takes centre stage in our new-look nightly email newsletter. The newsletter drops into your inbox every evening at 6pm with all the day’s stories and more. To subscribe, click here.
(Image: Michelle Bray)
(Image: Erica Johnson)
(Image: Freya Mills)
(Image: Len Downes)
(Image: Matthew Webber)
(Image: H & A Milsom)
(Image: Douglas Young)
(Image: James Gauld)
Photo of the Week celebrates the Harrogate district. It could be anything from family life to capturing the district’s beauty. We are interested in amateur and professional photographs, in a landscape format.
Send your photographs to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to be featured next week. We reserve the right to adjust and crop images to fit into our format.
The cherry blossom is in full bloom on the Stray, HarrogateThe annual display of cherry blossom is now in full bloom – catch it while you can as you walk along the Stray’s paths.
Here are five fun facts you might not know about the sakura trees…
Email in your images of the blossoms – either in Harrogate or from your local area – for a chance to be featured in our extra-special spring edition of Photo of the Week to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.
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Laura Weatherhead started her career designing and developing products for the horticultural and agricultural markets. She has utilised her knowledge of plant physiology to turn her passion into a career and she can usually be found tinkering in gardens and sharing her experience of garden maintenance and design with others. Here she shares with The Stray Ferret how to get your garden spring-ready…
Spring is the opportune time to get your garden in order. Soon we will be spending a lot more time outdoors; the longer days, the glimpses of sunshine and the warmer temperatures help to remind us of what’s to come – especially when the carpets of crocuses in their lilac, white and lemon hues start to pop up along The Stray in Harrogate.
And spring is when our gardens really start to come alive; it’s now that the gardener is really called into action, and whether it’s yourself or a professional, here are some of the key jobs to be doing to get your garden spring-ready so that you can enjoy it in all its glory now and in the months ahead.
(Lilac and white crocuses)
Most plants in our gardens are just starting to wake from a period of dormancy and now that the chance of a morning frost is almost in the distant past, it’s the perfect time to seize the moment to prune and tidy any shrubs.
By doing this now you will be able to shape and size any species that have been left to their own devices that may have become leggy and woody. Commonly found plants including buddleias, roses, salvias and dogwoods will thank you for doing this as they will bloom with denser, healthier floral displays later in the year.
Spring bulbs will continue to flower for the coming month or so, and to keep the colours vibrant in your garden be sure to remove any deadheads as they form. This is also a great time to plant any bulbs from Mother’s Day arrangements – for example, hyacinths, tulips and daffodils – so that they can be enjoyed in years to come.
(Spring hyacinth and primrose)
For many of us a lawn makes up a fundamental part of our garden space, and March is an ideal time to give it some TLC. Much of Harrogate’s land sits on a clay soil base; for many of us this means our gardens are a little boggy after the wet winter months. As the drier weather arrives, give your lawn its first mow.
March is also an ideal time to apply a lawn treatment; a combination of weed, feed and seed replenishment will benefit any lawn. Slow growth rates will give your lawn the chance to establish itself before you need to mow again.
If you are feeling particularly energetic, a narrow-toothed rake will remove moss and dead organic matter, providing new growth with more space and improved aeration, or to make the job easier, you could always use an electric scarifier.
(Potted hyacinth display)
If you’ve forgotten to plant spring bulbs, don’t worry – you’re probably not alone. Planting bulbs in the darker colder months isn’t for everyone and doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the early spring colours in your garden.
There are many species that are hardy enough to withstand the harsher weather conditions that can easily be picked up at most garden centres from now onwards. You may even be able to grab yourself a bargain with end of season heathers that will keep flowering for months to come.
Planting species like campanula and violas will provide the benefit of being winter hardy, and they flower generously throughout spring, covering ground effectively once established. Primroses will also continue to flower for the coming months and can add a well needed pop of colour.
It’s worth remembering – it’s not only flowers that come to life in spring, but weeds too. One of the simplest ways to spend less time on weeding is to fill your soil space with plants.
(Summer hydrangea display)
There’s no better way for gardeners old and new to gather inspiration than to visit garden centres and stores, often resulting in many of us bringing new plants back home with us. Harrogate has a fantastic selection of garden centres including the nationally recognised RHS Harlow Carr, as well as smaller centres such as Horticap.
Any time from late March is a good time to plant new perennials in our gardens, but before you do, it’s a good idea to think about what you would like to achieve in your garden; from plant size, flowering period, colour and scent, alongside where you would like to achieve it; think sun exposure and soil conditions.
It’s also an ideal time to plant summer flowering bulbs like gladioli, alliums and lilies, to name but a few. There’s something for everyone when it comes to bulbs but remember to consider the size and positioning before choosing where to plant them in your border or container.
Springtime is very much a period of activity in our gardens; whether we’re inspired by warmer, sunnier days, or whether you’re the organised gardener who’s working with nature’s calendar.
Spring gardening brings a wealth of reward later in the year, so I hope this brings you some inspiration to dust off those secateurs. And while you’re active in the garden, don’t forget that it’s not too late to sign up for your garden waste collection service via the North Yorkshire Council website; read more about it here.
Happy gardening everybody.
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Leeds United footballer banned from driving after speeding in Harrogate
Leeds United midfielder Brenden Aaronson has been banned from driving after speeding in Harrogate.
Aaronson, 23, of Victoria Avenue, was caught speeding at 37 miles per hour in a Mercedes-AMG on the A6040 Knaresborough Road near the Stray on March 12, 2023. The speed limit for the road is 30 mph.
He admitted the offence in September last year.
A hearing was held at Harrogate Magistrates Court this morning, but Aaronson was not present.
Magistrates ordered the United States international to pay a £666 fine, £266 surcharge and £90 in court costs.
Aaronson already had 10 points on his licence, which was endorsed with a further three points and he was disqualified from driving for six months.
The 23-year-old is currently on loan at German side Union Berlin from Leeds United.
He joined the club on July 9, 2023, after the Whites’ relegation from the Premier League.
Aaronson made 36 appearances for Leeds last season and scored one goal.
He joined United from Red bull Salzburg in May 2022 for a reported £25 million fee.
Watch: Lime tree on Stray in Harrogate being felledFour trees on the Stray in Harrogate are to be felled by North Yorkshire Council.
The trees, close to Beech Grove, are deemed to be in poor condition and pose a safety risk due to their proximity to the road.
Resident Chris Graville sent us this video of one of the trees being cut down.
Barrie Mason, assistant director for highways at the council, said:
“This lime tree is one of four along Beech Grove on the Stray which are in poor condition and are to be removed as they are deemed high risk due to their position next to the road.
“This work is in line with the national tree and woodland policy which ensures two trees are planted to replace every one cut down.
“This means we are sustaining and increasing the number of trees across the county.”
North Yorkshire Council took over responsibility for managing the Stray on April 1, when Harrogate Borough Council was abolished.
District to take part in Yorkshire’s first Rewilding Festival
The Harrogate district is to take part in Yorkshire’s first Rewilding Festival to encourage debate about the value of allowing green spaces to grow naturally.
The festival has been organised by the Yorkshire Rewilding Network, a charity that aims to ‘connect, inspire and enable rewilding across Yorkshire’.
Beginning on June 13 there will be a variety of events across the summer which include a day of learning and connection for rewilders, well-being walks and workshops in some of Yorkshire’s most inspiring rewilding sites.
In the Harrogate district there are activities in High Birstwith, Kirk Hammerton and Summerbridge.
The charity said the idea of a festival was born out of a belief that more is achieved with a message of hope and that bringing people together creates a ‘buzz’ that builds positive momentum.
Samantha Mennell, Yorkshire Rewilding Festival director, said:
“We’re so excited to be launching our first festival, and for us, it’s all about connection.
“Rewilding is always at it strongest when links are being made, whether that’s within landscapes or between people.
“This festival is only possible because of the new partnerships we’ve made around the region and we’re excited about the amazing chance it gives us to reach out to more diverse audiences and get more people rewilding.”
In 2021, Harrogate Borough Council sparked a local debate about rewilding when it allowed parts of the Stray to grow naturally.
The council’s parks team left grass verges close to the roadside uncut until late autumn. Some residents welcomed the move, others thought it made the Stray look untidy.
The council then worked with local conservation groups to plant thousands of wildflower plugs between the Empress Roundabout and the Prince of Wales roundabout and down by the railway line.
We are currently in #NoMowMay – a movement started by the charity Plantlife which calls on all garden owners and green space managers not to mow during May – ‘liberating your lawns and providing a space for nature’.
North Yorkshire Council, which now has responsibility for the Stray’s maintenance, has not gone as far as to stop mowing all public green spaces for a month.
Samatha Mennell said NYC could do more:
“We whole-heartedly agree that the North Yorkshire council should allow public areas to grow wilder as it has a myriad of benefits for biodiversity, carbon draw down and creates cleaner air and watersystems.“In a setting like Harrogate it can be done in a way that is sensitive to the formal nature of the city centre by mowing borders and paths that complement the aesthetic of the town whilst still increasing the flowers, pollinators and birds that bring so much pleasure to its residents.”
Have you tried to rewild your garden? Or taken part in #NoMowMay? Send us your images and tell us how you’ve found the experience. contact@thestrayferret.co.uk