RHS Harlow Carr & Harrogate break

Blowing away the cobwebs on a winter break  to Harrogate & RHS Harlow Carr

HARLOW Carr, the most northerly of the RHS's four gardens, lies outside Harrogate, in North Yorkshire. It's a grand place to stay for a short break - excellent restaurants, shopping, beautiful buildings  - and plants!

We visited on a Tuesday in February and it was still busy. The biggest draw in the garden at this time of year is the Winter Walk, full of dogwoods, birches, Prunus serrula, hellebores, winter aconites and snowdrops - the colours beggar belief.

It's so important to visit big gardens to pick up tips - one thing I'll remember is the use of died-back Perovskia (Russian sage) stems, a blue/white contrast to the dogwoods. That's the last time mine get cut back in autumn.

We were lucky to have a still, sunny day, perfect for walking round the arboretum, Geoffrey Smith's streamside walk and the kitchen garden.

The alpine house was just starting to come into its own, with perfect, fragile little blooms.

There's a section of gardens through the ages, complete with still-frozen Edwardian pond and Jekyll-style planting.

After almost three hours outside, scones, fat rascals and cakes (fresh raspberry macaroons) at Betty's were a treat.

There's also a sizeable garden centre and terrific book and gift shop, as you expect. My haul? A couple of cannas, two packets of seeds and roll of twine - very modest.

It's a place you could never tire of coming back to, as every time there will be something new to see. Even my other half, who is no gardener, enjoyed it. A must if you're in Yorkshire.