Harewood has a pair of African Grey Crane birds for visitors to see

During the winter months our Keepers were hard at work preparing the Bird Garden for the year ahead. Each aviary has been revamped with perching, ground cover and nest boxes, to provide suitable breeding environments. Many of the ducks prefer open grass and woodchip to dabble for insects, whereas the Laughing Thrushes and Wood Rails like the security of shrubs and trees for cover. Some of our single birds have been paired up with mates. The Red Crested Turacos, our African Grey Crowned Crane and the Nene Geese have all been found new companions. The incubation and rearing rooms housed in the Bird Garden have been given a spring clean ready for the breeding season. The first chicks likely to hatch are the small Pekins chicks which you will be able to visit in the Information Centre. When fully grown, these birds will be used as foster mothers, to hatch eggs and rear chicks for other species in the Bird Garden.

Some of these birds have been at Harewood since 1969

The Chilean Flamingos have undergone a health check looking for any problems. Some of the flock were  originally brought to Harewood in 1969. These older birds require a little more attention. Our experienced vet inspects their feet in particular. We keep a close eye out for age related issues such as arthritis, hip and eye problems. Whilst in the Bird Garden please also spare some time to look at our indigenous wildlife through the new vistas we have created across the lake. Join us in the Bird Garden to learn more about our nesting birds and plans for 2014.

Whatever the time of year, the Lakeside Garden provides beautiful views for visitors to enjoy

We have had a very busy ‘winter’ in the grounds and gardens, implementing a plan of practical improvements, which will enhance the quality of our visitor experience. Through a closer working relationship with the Estate, the gardens’ staff have ventured beyond the gardens to contribute to a wider remit of landscape restoration and conservation. As well as restorative works around the Church and to the main approach to the House, much attention has been focussed on the lakeside gardens, where the redressing of overgrown shrubberies has reopened old vistas across the lake, as well as creating new ones. The Himalayan Garden has been transformed over the past few months in a similar fashion and the area has been cleared of dense vegetation, so as to reveal the underlying contours and structure of this attractive garden.

We are currently working behind-the-scenes on the planning of new summer bedding schemes for the Terrace, to coincide with the arrival of Le Tour de France in July, as well as some impressive new   planting in the borders. In the Walled Garden, much has been done to improve the standards of upkeep in the kitchen garden, where a whole range of modern and heritage vegetables will be grown side-by-side throughout the coming season. Come and visit the Gardens and Grounds to discover more.

Simon in the guise of John Jewell

‘I was held…!’
‘The addition of the ghost was wonderfully atmospheric’
‘We were lucky to see a Stag appear as if on cue too – it was brilliant!’

Some of the comments following artist Simon Warner’s latest Theatrical Tour as part of on-going Medieval Harewood events this Summer…

Medieval Harewood Theatrical Tours

Simon Warner is a Yorkshire based photographer and performance artist. Simon will be conducting unique walking tours of Harewood’s medieval history enhanced with an audio experience, a real experience of Medieval Harewood!

Theatrical Tour dates: 17th July, 1st August, 14th August & 3rd September.

There’s still time to book for Simon’s last Theatrical Tour on 3rd September, book now to avoid disappointment!

Read more and book…

This summer, explore Medieval Harewood with us…

Find out more on our Medieval Harewood webpages…

Harewood House and The Box Tree Join Forces for Michelin Star Fine Dining

Mike Schafer, Chief Executive of Harewood House, announced today that The Box Tree Restaurant will head up Harewood’s ‘Fine Dining in the House’.

Rena and Simon Gueller, who own and manage Box Tree Events were welcomed by David Lascelles, the Earl of Harewood and Mike Schafer, on the State Floor of Harewood House where they will provide a variety of fine dining options for private and corporate clients.

Mike Schafer, CEO said: ‘Our corporate hospitality is a major element within our offer and we only want to work with the best.  We have some of the finest architecture and interiors in the country and our hospitality needs to compliment our environment.  We are delighted to appoint Rena and Simon to manage our fine dining, and as a multi-award winning and Michelin Starred Restaurant, The Box Tree is held in the highest regard in the culinary world – their service, menus and wines are revered, not just regionally but also nationally.  Working with The Box Tree team means we are confident that every event at Harewood will be of the highest standard and we look forward to welcoming existing and new clients to Harewood for hospitality beyond all expectations.’

Menus for Harewood will be created by Simon Gueller of The Box Tree Restaurant, one of the country’s leading chefs and a Michelin Star winner for an unprecedented 8 consecutive years.

Simon’s menus for Harewood will combine French classics with modern English served within the grandeur of the State Floor, the unique Below Stairs and on the Terrace overlooking some of the finest views in Yorkshire.

Simon Gueller added: ‘Harewood and The Box Tree will be one of the UK’s premier destinations for superior hospitality.  Harewood hosts a variety of guests, from Monarchs to Heads of State and we will ensure that every client is treated as such.   Corporate clients expect the best at Harewood and we will work hard to ensure that every event, small or large, formal or informal, sets a benchmark in fine dining.’

Click here to read more about Fine Dining in the House at Harewood…

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…