The proof is in the tasting... A new Ale for Harewood made from our very own hops!

Harewood Gold

Harewood Gold made from Harewood Hops

If you follow the path around the Lakeside at Harewood, you'll come to the Walled Garden, the oldest garden at Harewood. It was already under construction when building at Harewood House began in 1759. Its purpose was to provide the kitchens there with the finest fresh fruit and vegetables.

Horticultural skills of the very highest standard were nurtured there; new and exotic plants and food crops were introduced and specially designed buildings made to grow them in. It was extensively refurbished in the 1930s, with modern glasshouses replacing most of the old hothouses.

Today the Walled Garden is still a working kitchen garden growing a wide variety of both heritage and modern varieties of fruit and vegetables as well as several varieties of hops...

The Walled Garden is enclosed by old red brick walls, built at great expense, as brick wasn’t as cheap as stone, but prized for its heat retaining properties. Hop growing is a classic use of these walls – 7 different varieties grow here including Fuggle, Mathon and Whitbread’s Goldings Variety. 

Wharfebank's Martin Kellaway & Harewood Head Gardener Trevor Nicholson

These hops are now hand-picked by staff and volunteers every September, reviving a tradition to produce Harewood’s own modern brew of bitter and pale ale. 

Harewood's new Ale will be available this winter and throughout the year in 2012 to purchase from the Courtyard Shop.

Look out for our Harewood Gold event next September... 'Harewood Gold: From Hops to Ale'

Find out more on our Gardens Webpages... http://www.harewood.org/grounds/gardens

City Dweller reporting from Harewood

Armed with a well deserved glass of wine in one hand and yet another deadline in the other, I feel ready to tackle this issue’s column...
It’s the dreaded 6 week holiday, a time feared and dreaded by most working parents. Except teachers, as they have the holiday too so are able to take care of their own kids. That’s not a dig by the way, teachers work really hard and I am full of admiration and respect for anyone who goes into teaching and does it well. But how do you entertain your kids for that long? Get other people to take care of them? Well you may have to rely on family and friends, but if you do get enough time off from work to enjoy the odd day out can I thoroughly recommend Harewood House www.harewood.org. I recently went there with Adam O’Neill who does our ‘drivetime’ show here on Capital and we had a marvellous time exploring the house and gardens. Unfortunately, we forgot to go below the house to check out how the other half lived, which I will do on my return. It’s wonderful place and has plenty going on; a grand historical house, kids play areas, a lake, bird garden, including penguins
and flamingos. My favourite part is the specialist gardens, especially the Himalayan garden and Cascade.
Its beauty is overwhelming and I could have stayed there for hours blissfully dreaming the day away, but my son was more interested in climbing and going on the zip wire. Entrance prices vary as you can purchase a ticket for the grounds only or a full ticket which includes a tour of the house. It’s well worth a visit. Staying on a garden and outdoor tip – have you checked out the gardens at Roundhay Park? The winning canal lock garden from Chelsea fl ower show is on display alongside a couple of other previous garden entries. The canal gardens by Tropical World have been massively improved since my last visit and
these gardens are free to have a gander. There is a small fee to go into Tropical World, which is great on a wet, cold day as it is reminiscent of a tropical climate. The park itself is excellent to yomp around with lots of open space, woodland, lakes and a folly in the form of small castle. Go on, get out there and have some fresh air.

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