Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth opens refitted Newby Hall garden

The historic Edwardian garden at Newby Hall, Ripon, was opened by broadcaster Gyles Brandreth on Thursday, June 4.

Restoration of the 2,800sqm garden was led by Lucinda Compton and head gardener Lawrence Wright.

Work started on the garden in 2019, but the implications of Covid slowed its progress.

The refurbished rock garden at Newby Hall in Ripon (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Head gardener Lawrence said: “It’s amazing. When I joined in 2021, it was maybe a third of the way done, and it was still early days in terms of visitor engagement with the rock garden.

“We never closed the rock garden off, so visitors have seen the progress over the last seven years.

Head gardener, Lawrence Wright, speaks at the opening of the refurbished rock garden at Newby Hall in Ripon (Image: Stuart Boulton)

“It has gone from essentially being an enchanted fairy woodland over rocks that were overgrown and had their own charm, to something that is horticulturally interesting and has a different feel.

“It is much more engaging; there is a better range of plants, and it’s more horticulturally focused.”

Aiming to recapture the original drama and romance of the rock garden, while conserving it for future generations, hundreds of tonnes of soil have been excavated and replaced, with tonnes of gravel applied as mulch.

The refurbished rock garden at Newby Hall in Ripon (Image: Stuart Boulton)

More than 10,000 plants, bulbs, trees and shrubs have been planted, and the waterfall and aqueduct bridge restored.

Lawrence added: “We are proud of the whole garden, but it is great we’ve now got this piece that is a fantastic addition to the garden.

“It is a completely different style to the rest of the garden, so as a team, it’s a great thing to have had the chance to work on.”

The refurbished rock garden at Newby Hall in Ripon (Image: Stuart Boulton)

And he also said Gyles Brandreth was a “really nice chap”.

“He was really engaged with the garden when he was here,” Lawrence said.

“He wanted to know what we’d done and how we’d done it. He absolutely loved the rock garden, and it was fantastic he wanted to join us.

“He hit the nail on the head when he was saying that it was an enchanted place in his speech before the ribbon cutting.”