8 June 2012
Work is in progress on the Terrace today…various flowers are currently on display in the Terrace Borders…
Pruning Rose Ophelia
Box Hedging before trimming
Flower borders in June with Ophelia Rose and Dictamus Fraxinella
Trimmed Box Hedging
Clipping the roses in the Border
Cutting the Box hedging on the Terrace Parterre
Spring bedding on the Terrace Parterre
Cutting the Parterre, trimming the Box Hedge, clipping the roses, planting the Spring bedding…it’s a busy time of year in the Gardens!
28 May 2012
In case you missed it in the paper, the Yorkshire Post were intrigued by a recent discovery made during current refurbishment work on the offices at Harewood House.
We’re not talking about a piece of unknown Chippendale or a Turner watercolour, but a brief insight into the lives of two workmen who were working at Harewood on 14th April 1912 – an anniversary that’s been much talked about recently following the centenary anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
Found behind a panel on a doorway, E Sunderland and E Wilton wrote:
Titantic Disaster
Sunday April 14th 1912
1503 persons drowned
705 persons saved
Commander Capt: Smith
This disaster happened near [illegible].
The boat was the largest afloat and on her maiden voyage.
E Sunderland
E Wilton
Painters
Robert Kay, Harewood’s chief decorator, who himself has worked at Harewood for 37 years, knew of Edgar Sunderland from his predecessor who remembered the man. ‘He was well known for leaving time capsules and notes around the House. We recently found photographs and newspaper cuttings behind a wall in the State Gallery from 1886. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy and find out more about the legacy of people working at Harewood and we never know what we might find next. I started work on the door panel on 14th May and it was eerie finding this exactly 100 years and one month from the date of the sinking, particularly as this year sees the centenary.’
Henry, 6th Earl of Harewood would have been in his early twenties on this date and the rooms continued to be used by the Lascelles’ family through the childhood’s of the 7th Earl of Harewood, who died in July last year, and his son David Lascelles, the 8th Earl of Harewood and his brothers.
In the early 1980s , Harewood revealed its most extraordinary find, handpainted Chinese wallpaper which had originally hung in the Chintz Bedroom in 1769 by Chippendale’s men. But as fashions changed, it was removed, stored and forgotten for almost 2 centuries. This fabulous wallpaper was conserved and re-hung in the newly refurbished East Bedroom for visitors to enjoy in 2008.
Harewood continues to evolve, both as a visitor destination and a major player in Yorkshire’s heritage. The University of York is currently engaged in an archaeological dig on the site of Gawthorpe, which was the predecessor to Harewood House. The dig will form a major element of Harewood’s major forthcoming Medieval Faire at the end of June and the 5 year celebration of Medieval at Harewood. This is the second summer students from the University of York have been working in the grounds and finds continue to astound.
Harewood continues to provide clues to its history, some that we search for and some that we come upon by chance. Harewood and its people might change across the centuries, but if anything is a constant here, it is change and Harewood looks forward to embracing finds in the future …. now where did Robert put that Jubilee time capsule?
11 May 2012
You may have noticed trestle tables outside the bookshop with a glorious display of healthy plants for sale including flowers, herbs and vegetables….the new plant stall at the bookshop is open!
Call into the Bookshop on your next visit to Harewood…
We have hardbacks and paperbacks, books for adults, books for children and a comfy area for you to kick back, relax, enjoy a cup of coffee and browse the books at you leisure.
Harewood Second-hand Bookshop is run by a team of volunteers and depends entirely on donations…
All proceeds help fund educational projects around Harewood House and Gardens and the Bookshop run events and activities to promote reading to the young and old.
We are currently desperate for music CDs, so if you are spring cleaning your collections, we would love to have any unwanted copies you may have…
Shhhhhhh….the Clandestine Cake Club comes to Harewood, read the bookshop newsletter to find out more… There’s also still time to enter our Favourite Five survey to let us know your top reads.
This year as part of Royal Harewood celebrations in the House, we are planting our own ‘Dig for Victory’ bed in the Walled Garden. A scaled-down version of the original Dig for Victory beds, this will be a learning resource for school groups and also an opportunity for visitors to look back on the history of the Gardens at Harewood.
The Dig for Victorycampaign was launched at the outbreak of the Second World War. It encouraged people to cultivate their gardens and grow food to support the war effort.
This year at Harewood we are recreatingDig for Victory Leaflet No.1 on this bed (see poster).
We have sourced, where possible, varieties of vegetables that were grown during the war years.
Whilst the bed is not as long as recommended in the poster, we have tried to be as true to the planting plan as possible.
Visit the Walled Garden this Summer, and feel free to ask a gardener for more information!
HRH Princess Mary made Harewood her home thoughout 4 decades and saw many changes in the use of the Gardens at Harewood, especially during the war years. She was also a keen gardener and plantswoman herself, and had a significant impact on the Gardens – the legacy of which is still visible in the Gardens today.
In 2012 we will also be launching a new rose ‘Yorkshire Princess’, a fitting tribute to the Princess who loved roses and had many varieties planted on the Terrace here at Harewood in her time…
Read more about the Gardens on our website…
HRH Princess Anne visited Harewood today ahead of our new exhibition season… The Princess was greeted by Lord and Lady Harewood, Harewood Chief Executive Mike Schafer and Harewood House Staff. Presented with one of Harewood’s new roses, Rosa ‘Yorkshire Princess’ the Princess toured the exhibitions on the State Floor, ‘Royal Harewood: Celebrating the Life of the Yorkshire Princess‘, as well as our temporary exhibition in the Terrace Gallery ‘Marcus Adams: Royal Photogrpaher‘…
Celebrating the Life of The Yorkshire Princess
Harewood was home to HRH Princess Mary, The Princess Royal, through four decades. Her love of Yorkshire and the affection the people of Yorkshire felt for her in return mean that she will always be remembered as ‘The Yorkshire Princess’.
Princess Mary married Henry, 6th Earl of Harewood in 1922 and they moved into Harewood House in 1929. They were avid collectors and, with the generous help of the Heritage Lottery Fund, we will be displaying for the first time many of the things that were precious to her: personal items such as exquisite fans, gifts from heads of state, presents from her royal relations by the great designer Fabergé. These displays provide a glimpse into the life and loves of a very ‘Yorkshire Princess’.
In the Terrace Gallery a special collection of photographs taken by favourite royal photographer Marcus Adams, and generously lent by The Queen from The Royal Collection, capture with wonderful charm the young Princess Elizabeth, life as the new royal family, the pre-war years and then later a new generation of royals; Prince Charles and Princess Anne. Don’t miss the opportunity to see these striking, fun, informal and vibrant photographs.
Visit the House this season and round your visit off with a delicious cream tea in the Terrace Café! Marcus Adams exhibition open until Sunday 17 June, and Royal Harewood: Celebrating the Life of the Yorkshire Princess runs until 30 Sept.