The RHS Garden at Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire, England, is a gardener's paradise. So much to see – and so much to learn. From luscious border displays to woodland, meadows, a lakeside garden, and a rock garden, this gorgeous site offers inspiration for every type of garden there is.
These are the garden design ideas we'll be taking away from Harlow Carr, specifically planting ideas for summer and looking ahead to autumn.
1. Maximize the potential of ornamental grasses
Harlow Carr uses ornamental grasses to spectacular effects, with whole borders lit up at sunset thanks to the extensive planting of whispy stipas, Chinese silver grass, and many other types that catch the light beautifully.
Learning how to grow ornamental grasses is easy – they'll thrive in most sunny borders and are also worth keeping unpruned well into winter, when the grass heads add interest covered in snow and ice.
2. Layer planting to add dimension
Plant layering is a technique that works in gardens of all sizes, but it's especially useful for adding height to borders as part of small garden ideas. The basic principle of border plant layering is planting in descending heights, with the tallest plants at the back. This will give your borders a dynamic yet smart look.
This border at Harlow Carr uses Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue', Montana 'Gardenview Scarlet', and Stipa gigantea to create depth.
3. Let shady spots shine
The Lakeside Garden, with its secluded areas of dappled shade, is the perfect source of shade garden ideas. There's no need to settle for ferns – as this pretty border that celebrates hostas proves.
Hostas are one of the best shade loving plants, providing both interesting foliage and flowers. Here it is shown in dappled shade, but some varieties will do great in deeper shade, too.
4. Introduce artful planting to a kitchen garden
The Harlow Carr Kitchen Garden is every bit as beautiful as other areas and, for our kitchen garden ideas we'd like to take away its artful approach to planting crops.
The planting here has had as much thought put into it as a flowering border – vegetable gardening doesn't have to mean ordered rows with no individuality. We especially like the joyful addition of sunflowers.
5. Don't forget autumn planting
Every beautiful garden looks good in every season, not just the summer. The Sandstone Rock Garden at Harlow Carr is ablaze in spectacular color in the autumn, with Japanese acers stealing the show with their bright foliage.
Acers can be planted as part of Japanese garden ideas, but they are so graceful and low-maintenance that they'll also look good in a container in a small urban garden, providing interest in summer and autumn.
