One of North Yorkshire’s top attractions decided to enter the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the first time this year – and promptly won gold!
Newby Hall & Gardens, near Ripon, is celebrating today after its success at the world’s most famous horticultural event.
Its woodland-themed display highlighted some of the most eye-catching and unusual varieties of Cornus.
These beautiful dogwood trees and shrubs boast colourful ‘flowers’ in April, May and June.
The Chelsea exhibit was designed by Newby Hall’s head gardener, Lawrence Wright, in collaboration with owners Richard and Lucinda Compton.
It was a nod to Newby Hall’s renowned National Plant Collection of Cornus, and was given a gold medal, the top award by RHS judges.
The win comes the day after Dame Joanna Lumley visited the display. And it was opened by TV host and celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh.
Lawrence said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won a gold at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
“To be judged as being amongst the best of the best in the horticultural world is incredible, putting Newby Hall’s plant collection firmly on the national and international map.
“Thank you to all of our team for their hard work in helping us prepare for this. We are now really looking forward to showing the thousands of show visitors the wonder of these beautiful plants and encouraging them to visit Newby Hall in person.”
Newby Hall’s exhibit forms a key part of Plant Heritage’s display within the Floral Marquee at RHS Chelsea, which celebrates the beauty of the National Plant Collections.
Newby Hall’s Cornus collection is one of the UK’s most extensive, comprising more than 100 individual specimens, 48 cultivars and 25 species.
It was originally started in 1990 by Robin Compton, a passionate horticulturist and former president of the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens – now known as Plant Heritage.
The very first Cornus kousa was planted by his father, Major Edward Compton, in 1937, sparking a passion that would eventually grow into this nationally recognised collection.
Richard and Lucinda’s daughter, Sasha Compton, who is an established artist and designer, has been painting the Cornus display at the show, whilst Jake Sutcliffe Studio helped build the display.
Newby Hall’s famous gardens are a jewel of the Yorkshire countryside, frequently featured in television productions such as Peaky Blinders and Victoria.
This September, Newby Hall will also host the popular Harrogate Autumn Flower Show from 19–21 September.
More on the attraction’s website.