Himalayan Gardens A Hidden Gem

Himalayan Garden & Sculpture Park Harrogate – A Hidden Gem in North Yorkshire

May Blooms Galore: A Garden Spectacle! 

Paul Dibb, Head Gardener

As we head into May the gardens are now bursting into colour and really coming to life. The magnolias have held their blooms for a good month now and as some of them begin to drop their petals the rhododendrons are coming onto the stage in force.
Without a doubt it has been an exceptionally busy time for everyone over the last two months, that hard work is now really paying off with the gardens looking spectacular everywhere you look.Magnificent MayMarvellous Meconopsis
The end of April brought us the first Meconopsis flower, always a welcome sight and a good indication that they have come through the winter in good heart. Last autumn Josh sowed a bounty of Meconopsis and with unwavering dedication nursed the germinating seedling through the winter, along with a multitude of Primula’s too. These plants will be added to the collection across the garden through the year as we develop specific areas.

Managing Invasive species
Every Wednesday the gardeners dedicate time to check, search and control invasive species on site (or as we call it Weed Whacker Wednesday!). The worst species are mapped and targeted with the appropriate methods to either kill and remove or prevent spread. For example, the large Gunnera we have in the garden risks spreading into the wider countryside via its seeds. Gunnera is now banned from sale in the UK, existing plants in gardens can remain but seed spurs and any material removed from the plant must be burned on site or taken to a waste centre. Within our gardens we remove the seed spurs as they develop weekly through the growing season. Gunnera tinctoria and Gunnera x cryptica are the two species of the plant classed as invasive. However, it is thought that Gunnera manicata is actually G x cryptica and therefore the control of spread should be managed also of this variety too.

Month of blossoming for wildlife
The wildlife is bustling right now across the gardens; the dawn chorus is at its peak and the birds are busy back and forwards with food for their emerging chicks. Noticeably Robins have been taking food to various nest sites, numbers of these birds are certainly healthy. Peacock butterfly’s, spotted out and about in March and have now been joined by Orange Tip and Brimstone too.

The Vikings are ComingWe have started planning for our first Viking Weekend (Sat 11^th & Sunday 12^th July). You will experience life in the turbulent Viking Age as the seaborne Scandinavians clash with the ancient kingdom of Northumbria. Local Viking reenactment group ‘Vanaheim’ will be putting on displays of crafts, cooking and combat. See the sights and smells of the Viking village and hear the clash of swords and shields in our battle displays. Normal garden entry applies.

Sculptures in Focus As part of our 2026 Sculptures in the Landascape Exhibtion, we have a number of large metal works making a real statement in the landscape.

Above is “Iridescent Omen” by Katie Ventress ominoulsy guarding Magnolia Lake in the garden. Katie is a blacksmith artist and this piece is both striking from a distance but detailed close-up with shimmers of colour from the stained glass. Katie says, ” I see Magpies as beautiful, intelligent & underrated, with fascinating folklore & traditions around them. However you see them, maybe this piece will invoke those feelings you hold towards them, or something completely new”  kv.blacksmith@gmail.com Close to Nessie Lake is ‘The Zip’ by Gevorg Tadevosyan which is a represenation of life. The teeth are portraits of men and women to show how life brings and separates people from our lives. The lower portion represents relationships and meetings we have lived, and the upper portion represents those coming in the future. tadevosyang@gmail.com Look up high along the Woodland Walk to spot Fluxis by Ben Green. Two male figures stand elevated on tall, rusted steel columns, rising starkly from the woodland floor. Powerfully modelled yet restrained in gesture, they face one another across space, their upright stances suggesting a poised and silent confrontation. The height of the plinths creates both monumentality and isolation, transforming the figures into sentinel-like presences suspended among the trees. Stripped of armour or narrative detail, they read as archetypal forms  warrior-like, yet contemplative. Ben captures a moment of charged stillness, where tension resides not in action, but in the suspended space between two opposing bodies. benjgreenwood76@gmail.comSpring Garden ExperienceSpring Garden Experience, Thursday 21st May, 11am – 2pm
Spring brings a magnificent display of colour from one of the North’s largest collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias. Join us for a special spring tour and lunch with the garden team and find out more about ther rarer plants in garden. £40 (£30 for Season Ticket Holders). Booking essential email: info@himalayangarden.com

Spring Workshops 2026Felted Picture Workshop, Saturday 16th May, 10am – 1pm
Spend a fun morning learning how to create a beautiful wool painting with a practical demonstration of felt-making, an exploration of different wool and fibres to use, then make your own felted wool picture. All materials supplied. *

Botanical Illustrations Workshop, Tuesday 16th  – Thursday 18th June, 10am – 4pm  Botanical Illustration is the art of depicting plant forms accurately, to capture their individual characteristics and to aid identification. This 3-day workshop involves step by step guidance, demonstration and individual tuition from award winning artist, Bridget Gillespie covering drawing, composition and watercolour techniques. Suitable for complete beginners to intermediate painters.*

Modern Calligraphy Workshop, Wednesday 24th June, 10am – 12.30pm
Learn how to write beautifully using ink. Suitable for complete beginners this class will teach you everything you need to know starting right at the basics and create your own unique style of lettering. All attendees will get a Calligraphy Starter Kit, including handouts, paper, pen and ink to use and take home, providing everything you need to start your calligraphy journey.*

* Booking essential for all workshops, see website for full details or email info@himalayangarden.com 

2026 Opening Dates2nd April – 1st November 2026
Closed Mondays in April – June
Closed Mondays & Tuesdays in July – 1st Nov
Open all Bank Holiday Mondays