Harlow Carr - August 2009

[Mick McLoughlin]

Having been unable to go to Harlow Carr for the special Alpine event we eventually got around to visiting Harlow Carr last weekend, to see the new alpine house.
The grounds looked in very fine fettle, probably the best we have seen them. There was even a meadow planting (every edition of the RHS magazine seems to have a meadow in it) that worked for me. Mandy liked an unamed plant in one of the show gardens, can someone supply a name please.
The main reason for our visit was to see the new Alpine house, and very fine it looked too.

[Mick McLoughlin]

Outside the Alpine house was a lot of evidence of more construction work and landscaping, for the ongoing development. The tufa walls are constructed but not planted up yet.
Outside there was a fine selection of troughs (glad to see the planted toilet had gone). Some species specific, i.e. Primulas, others mixed, crevive etc.

[Mick McLoughlin]

First impressions inside the alpine house were that it was a lot more spacious, than the 2 old greenhouses, with more room for plantings and people to be moving around.
There were quite a few plants in flower and a number that were new to us, more wants lists.
 One of the first plants we noticed was this blue/green ? scrambling over the rocks. My system of photographing the label has let me down here so a name please?
Hypsela reniformis was dotted about in many places.
A few of the plants that caught my eye(and camera lens).
Verbascum letitia
Acis autumnale
Linaria alpina
Ourisia polyantha 'Cliftonville Scarlet'
Silene californica

[Mick McLoughlin]

There were a number of plants that were either new or a little different.
A nice group of Centaurea bella.
Something not seen before Leuzea conifera.
Commelina dianthifolia and close up of a different flower.
Then the very strange Testudinaria elephantipes spreading vine like stems from a cental caudex(is that the right word?) that looks like a tortoise.

[Mick McLoughlin]

A few more general plants
Veronica altensis
Campanula cochlearis 'Elizabeth Oliver'
Erodium 'David Crocker'
Anisotome aromatica
Saussurea aff. superba (can somebody explain the meaning of the "aff." in the name please?
Saxifrage 'Winifred Bevington', somebody mentioned a 'dwarf' London Pride in the forum is this it?
Myosotis pulvinaris

[Mick McLoughlin]

Last few here.
A couple of Androsace
Androsace cylindrica hirtella
Androsace pubescens
Penstemon procerus tolmiei
Convolvulus lineatus
Asperula arcadiensis
Clematis marmoria
Erigeron ursinis

[Paddy Tobin]

Hi Mick,

You are certainly busy on this Sunday morning. I haven't ever been to see Harlow Carr - something to put on my list of things to do in retirement!

Your photographs certainly show a very interesting place, a great selection of plants and of planting positions - troughs, walls etc.

As for the mystery plant, I believe it is a pennisetum of some description. Hope that sends you in the right direction.

Paddy

[Mick McLoughlin]

Hi Paddy
Have fun in your retirement, jealous here.
I've been meaning to post these all week not got around to it till today. I'm always the first to rise here could be another hour before I get any company. Going to water greenhouse now, then of to mother in laws for dinner!!!!
 
Thats looks right Paddy Pennisetum 'Purple Majesty looks good. Thanks.
http://www.plants-magazine.com/plants.php?PlantId=7

[Martinr]

Good stuff Mick. I keep on meaning to go to Harlow Carr but never seem to find the time.

I think the Myosotis pulvinaris may actually be M. glabrescens with those exerted stamens. There was a thread on this one a few months ago related to the many plants we see on the show bench and in nurseries labelled Myosotis species ex Eyre Mountains. I also suspect many of the plants floating round the trade as M pulvunaris are the ex Eyre Mountains one andhence. I also suspect the confusion is too deeply rooted to fix.

[Giles]

Mick,
You asked about the 'aff.' with the Saussurea.
People tend to use it with wild collected plants, when they're not too sure what it is.
I've always assumed it stood for 'affinity to'.

[Maggi Young]

We're pleased to join you  for this trip to Harlow Carr, Mick.
I think some of the plants you list have actually been overgrown by others and so the labels are misleading... thus.....
 Anisotome aromatica .... taken over by what seems to be a small Diascia
Penstemon procerus tolmiei.... been taken over by a Cymbalaria


Dare I say that some of the first troughs you show could do  with the McLoughlin treatment... they are a bit flat and dull! 

[Mick McLoughlin]

I gave them the benefit of the doubt with the troughs, thinking they may have been newly done.

Some of the labelling was possibly misleading. Even I could spot this wasn't an Aquilegia?
I've checked my original pictures and can't find any other evident labels.

[Paddy Tobin]

Well now,Mick, that is a relief - to see you survived the dinner with mother-in-law. You can come and collect your medal for bravery at your own convenience. I'm only joking and I had a great relationship with my own mother-in-law, great woman after I had given her a whiskey or two.


Paddy

[cohan]

Having been unable to go to Harlow Carr for the special Alpine event we eventually got around to visiting Harlow Carr last weekend, to see the new alpine house.
The grounds looked in very fine fettle, probably the best we have seen them. There was even a meadow planting (every edition of the RHS magazine seems to have a meadow in it) that worked for me. Mandy liked an unamed plant in one of the show gardens, can someone supply a name please.
The main reason for our visit was to see the new Alpine house, and very fine it looked too.

thanks for the tour, mick great place to visit..
is this near to you?

[Mick McLoughlin]

Hi Cohan,
It's about 45 minutes drive away