In the UK our wonderful tree heritage is recorded within the Tree Register, a Registered Charity with a unique database of over 150,000 of our most notable Trees.

Recording a veteran oak tree in the grounds of Harewood House

Harewood’s trees are a beautiful and important feature of the landscape which surrounds the House. Following our latest Tree Register Report we can now say we are home to several Champion Trees!

We have a Grand Fir growing in the Lakeside Gardens (SE of the Cascade beside the path towards the Walled Garden) which has been recorded as the tallest in Yorkshire. It is the best the Tree Inspector has ever seen and looks as if it wants to grow a bit taller too!

We also have a rare Japanese oak (planted by Her Majesty Queen Alexandra on 8th July 1908) in the grounds; it is certainly a champion tree for Yorkshire and maybe a Champion Tree for the whole of the British Isles, we’ll wait for final confirmation and update the post here!

Several other trees become County Champions for Yorkshire including:

• Grecian Fir in the West Garden
• Purple Bean Tree south of the Cascade, by the Stupa
• Katsura Tree in the Himalayan Garden
• Leylandii south of the Lake, near the large Sessile Oak
• Eucryphia in the Archery Border which is remarkably large for Yorkshire!
• Japanese Big-leaved Magnolia in the Himalayan Garden
• London Plane in the Bird Garden
• Japanese Cherry beside the path to the Church
• Scarlet Oak on the North Front opposite the House
• Daimyo Oak on the North Front opposite the House

Please note: some trees pictured below are not in areas currently accessible to visitors. Please stay to the marked footpaths and access areas when you visit Harewood.

Estimating the age of a large conifer

Gathering data for the tree register of two ancient oaks four to five centuries old

Measuring the girth of an old ash tree

Recording details of a veteran oak tree at Harewood

Using a hypsometer to measure the height of a tree

Please note: some trees pictured above are not in areas currently accessible to visitors. Please stay to the marked footpaths and access areas when you visit Harewood.

The Scarlet Oak on the North Front is exceeded only by a few in southern England, and the Dawn Redwood south of the lake is a particularly beautiful tree and almost the tallest this far north.

One of our Rhododendronsto the south of the lake is the largest hardy hybrid of any kind the Tree Register Inspector had ever seen!

Harewood is a wonderful place to explore the landscape and spot some of these wonderful trees… A new walks booklet is available from the Harewood Information Centre which will take you on 4 walks of discovery in the Grounds at Harewood…and we hope to produce something similar focussing on the trees at Harewood…watch this space for details!

You can collect a guide to some of the wonderful trees in the West Garden at Harewood during Autumn Glory week (October Half Term) – the trees are at their most colourful and vivid at this time of year…

Read more about the Grounds at Harewood and our Autumn Glory event on our website…

We made the news in the Independent’s heritage section with our all-new event spectacular the Harewood Medieval Faire…

If came thee hither, what-ho an event we had!

If you missed it, look out for e-updates to be the first to get your tickets for next year’s event! …And don’t forget, Medieval Harewood continues this summer with artists’ works & finds from the Gawthorpe dig, ceramics & stained glass workshops, and Castle, dig and theatrical tours.

Read more and book workshops & tours and online…

Long walks, short walks, dog walks, bluebell walks, walks in the rain, walks in the snow… the landscape at Harewood has all these walks and more…

A new walks booklet is now available to purchase from the Information Centre, Bookshop or House Desk at Harewood, with routes to discover more about this ancient landscape…

And a new guidebook written by David Lascelles, Lord Harewood with an updated history including new information we have learnt in recent years is available to buy at the House Desk, Information Centre and Bookshop.

Ask at the Information Centre next time you visit Harewood! Click here to see our opening times and prices…

The Olympic Torch arrived at Harewood yesterday in style, medieval-style!

On Day 2 of the Yorkshire leg of its journey through Britain, the Torch was led down the main drive to Harewood House by a mounted knight in full armour on Hawthorn, a Friesian stallion to celebrate the upcomingMedieval Faire.

Three runners took turns in carrying the torch down the drive, Jonny Johnston, Roy Leinster and finishing with Janet Baker presenting the torch to HRH Princess Beatrice of York and Lord & Lady Harewood who greeted the Torch on the front steps of the House along with an army of Harewood staff and visitors.

The press turned out in force, the Yorkshire Post have a great video on their website, view it in this page or go to their website here.

12 schools from across the region were also at Harewood, performing their responses to the Olympics, with a selection of sporting, dance and musical performances. HRH Princess Beatrice took the time to meet the children as they were preparing to perform in front of the House.

The winning school on the day, as judged by Stephen Davidson the High Sherriff of West Yorkshire and his wife Carol, was Highfield Primary School, Moortown. Their winning performance was created and performed by Mr Brassil’s Year 5 class, and was called “Olympic Play”. The judges loved the variety of their piece, and the pupils won an annual pass for the school to visit Harewood once a month for a year.

David Lascelles, Lord Harewood said: ‘As an educational charitable trust, we’re keen to encourage and involve children in our celebrations and it was inspirational to see their interpretation of what the Olympics means to them through their superb performances.  This is a moment in time for all of them and it’s been a pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice to be a part of our day today to celebrate the Torch’s arrival.’

Further images can be found on our Facebook page…

Since we’ve had all that rain and, now that the sun has come out, the vegetable crops are growing really well in the Walled Garden!

Releasing ladybirds

Simpson Lettuce

Carot-fly barrier protects crops without using chemicals

Globe Artichokes

Grape Vines in the Glasshouses (not currently accesible to visitor, but watch this space!)

Lettuce Rows

Onions growing well…

We’re using various organic techniques to prevent pests, including putting fine gauze around the carrot plots to act as a barrier against carrot root fly.

There are some interesting heritage varieties to be seen now too. On some of the indoor crops, instead of using chemicals to control pests such as ‘mealy bugs’ we are using a specially-bred ladybird which eats them!

Visit the Walled Garden at Harewood…

Read more about the Walled Garden including videos, recipes and more!