RHS Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire is one of the prestigious RHS gardens and makes for a great day out. Set in the craggy Yorkshire countryside, there is great diversity including an alpine house, scented gardens, steams, woods, foliage garden, Queen Mother's lake, and for children, craggle top tree house, a play area and BFG.  Central to the garden is the stream which runs East/ West across the garden with lovely streamside planting. In the image below, Aruncus has been planted to great effect around part of the stream. Aruncus is a shade tolerant plant, very similar to Astilbe, but taller and only found in white.

The image above is part of the collection of Lakeside gardens, a beautifully balanced planting scheme surrounded by wild areas, which contrive to look natural thought good managment, I wish they would manage my wild area which just looks very wild at present. The are several areas of wild flower and grasses which a feature at RHS Harlow Carr and add to its natural beauty. The main borders, which are very deep and run parallel, are expertly planted with many varieties of herbaceous plants forming a colourful palette.

On the south side of the garden there is extensive woodland and an arboretum which is a lovely area for a walk. The space and wooded areas allow the visitor to stroll around in relative peace and to relax. I love the herbaceous borders and the planting is so clever; but I always find woods and trees have a restorative quality. 

Visiting this garden inspires me to be a tidy gardener when I see the immaculate kitchen gardens which are so carefully laid out. Everything is neat and weed free and, even more envious, disease free, a real testament to good gardening.

And after all that walking tea and cake at Bettys.