Newby Hall has won a prestigious gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – its first ever at the world’s most famous horticultural event.
Newby's woodland-themed display highlights some of the most eye-catching and unusual varieties of Cornus, a nod to Newby Hall’s renowned National Plant Collection of Cornus.
And it was given the top award by RHS judges.
These beautiful flowering dogwood trees and shrubs boast colourful ‘flowers’ in April, May and June.
The RHS Chelsea display had been carefully designed by Newby Hall’s head gardener, Lawrence Wright, in collaboration with owners Richard and Lucinda Compton, who now curate the collection.
Lawrence Wright 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 (stand GPB 020) at RHS Chelsea, which celebrates the beauty of the National Plant Collections.
It was officially opened by broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh who is president of Plant Heritage which champions and conserves garden plants.
Newby Hall’s Cornus collection is one of the UK’s most extensive, comprising over 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 and Gardens
Newby Hall’s famous gardens are a jewel of the Yorkshire countryside, frequently featured in television productions such as Peaky Blinders and Victoria.
The garden boasts 14 stunning ‘rooms’, two heritage orchards, and one of the UK’s longest double herbaceous borders.
Other highlights include a Rose Garden at its fragrant peak in June, an Autumn Garden filled with Dahlias and over 80 different varieties of Salvia, and an Edwardian Rock Garden nearing the end of major restoration which is due to be complete in spring 2026.
This September, Newby Hall will also host the popular Harrogate Autumn Flower Show from 19–21 September. Newby Hall & Gardens are open to the public from April to September, welcoming over 120,000 visitors annually.
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