Reimagining our Landscape

This is going to be a far-reaching project that will enhance our brilliant buildings, gardens, and landscape.

Since 1986 Harewood House Trust has managed and cared for this incredible place. Harewood is a place for learning and enjoyment, for play and wellbeing; a place full of history and natural beauty. Throughout Harewood’s history it’s changed and evolved with the times, telling the stories of the people who’ve lived, worked and made memories here. Now we’re creating a new chapter. 

The first stage of our Reimagining project has begun, with work starting on our new play area this winter.

Our Vision

To continue to protect and enhance Harewood House and its Gardens and Grounds as one of the UK’s most important heritage assets.

To improve our visitors’ overall experience of the site through bespoke upgrades and new facilities.

To create a more sustainable Harewood, reducing our carbon footprint and improving our overall energy performance.

To increase the number of visitors to Harewood and in turn the site’s economic contribution to the Yorkshire economy.

A place for nature

Our plan is to landscape the gardens to the south of the House (including the former Bird Garden) and to reconnect historic pathways from the garden to the Lakeside and beyond.  We’re not just providing new, contemporary gardens for visitors to enjoy but increasing the biodiversity value of our landscape through planting of species that create excellent habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife living here at Harewood. 

All of our plans hope to take advantage of new technologies to reduce our carbon footprint as we aim for a net zero carbon future.  We’ll also be using our Walled Garden to produce food and to pass on vital skills to the next generation of gardeners and naturalists. 

The gardens and landscapes will be designed by The Landscape Agency in partnership with award-winning garden designer Matthew Wilson. The Landscape Agency are based in York, and have previously worked with the Royal Horticultural Society, National Trust and Castle Howard.

Matthew Wilson is an award-winning garden and landscape designer, writer, radio and television broadcaster and lecturer. On working with Harewood, Matthew says:

“It’s fantastic to be working on this prestigious and important project. Harewood House is a much loved part of Yorkshire’s heritage with national and international significance, so to be able to contribute to the reframing of part of the landscape is a real privilege, and along with my colleagues at The Landscape Agency is a challenge we relish.”

A place full of playfulness 

Harewood is the kind of place where memories are made.  It’s where people come together to socialise and have fun, a place full of adventure and exploration. At Harewood, you can recharge your batteries and escape for a while. 

So, we’re investing in creating adventurous and exciting play spaces that encourage a connection with nature.  As well as creating a new, fun and inclusive play area next to the Bakehouse, we’ll be inviting all visitors to enjoy our woodland, parkland and the House playfully.  From early years to adults – you are never too old to play. 

 

 

A warm welcome 

Our fabulous team have been welcoming visitors for decades via our ticket gates, but now we want to create a better opportunity to meet and chat with visitors.  We want people to feel excited and get involved or to be able to switch off, relax and enjoy their visit from the very first moment that they arrive. 

So we are transforming the Bakehouse into a light, bright social space that will enable us to provide visitors with a warm welcome and make better use of this Grade II listed building. Here we will share inspiring stories from Harewood’s history and provide a starting point for your Harewood journey.  

We are putting inclusivity at the heart of our thinking and throughout the project we’ll be consulting with visitors and Members, including those with specific needs, ensuring Harewood is a welcoming, accessible and enriching experience for all. 

Protecting the past & creating for the future

Our plans will also include a number of ‘conservation’ programmes, imagining how we can restore and improve our gardens and preserve our fantastic heritage buildings for generations to come. 

We’ll also continue the long tradition at Harewood of commissioning new arts and crafts for our collection, working with a diverse range of artists that help us to remember, reflect and reimagine through the spirit of artist expression.

How you can help

• Become a Member
• Become a Patron
• Make a Donation

Sign up to our mailing list for updates on the Reimagining our Landscape project.