Broadcaster, author and former MP Gyles Brandreth has officially reopened the historic rock garden at Newby Hall following a seven-year restoration project.
The grand reopening took place yesterday (Thursday 4th June), marking the completion of extensive work to restore one of the UK's largest and most ambitious Edwardian rock gardens.
Created before the First World War, the 0.7-acre garden was originally developed in 1912 and features dramatic millstone grit boulders, a waterfall and an aqueduct bridge.
The restoration has been led by Newby Hall owners Lucinda and Richard Compton, alongside Head Gardener Lawrence Wright and his team.
Work to revive the garden has included the excavation and replacement of hundreds of tonnes of soil, the application of tonnes of gravel mulch, the planting of more than 10,000 plants, bulbs, trees and shrubs, and the restoration of the waterfall and aqueduct bridge.
Gyles told Your Harrogate said:
“The rock garden has been reborn and it’s a magical place. I think of it in fact as an enchanted place Newby Hall, because my collection of teddy bears, thousands of them, came to live here many years ago.
“When I first came here, the rock garden was overgrown and covered with trees and it was quite dark, but what they’ve done is recreate it and I think it’s better than the original.”
The official reopening celebrations included a lunch in the Statue Gallery before Mr Brandreth cut the ribbon and delivered a speech highlighting the importance of finding "enchanted places" in people's lives.
The project aimed to recapture the drama and romance of the original Edwardian design while ensuring the garden can be enjoyed by future generations.
Today, visitors can explore a wide variety of plants introduced during the redevelopment, with more than 10,000 additions helping to transform the space over the last seven years.
Newby Hall says the restored rock garden is now open to visitors as part of the estate's wider gardens and grounds.
LISTEN: Gyles Brandreth spoke to Your Harrogate's Ricky Durkin:
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