Visitors to one of the UK’s most famous flower borders, at Newby Hall in Yorkshire, can sit back and get a new perspective on the floral landmark, thanks to a GIANT hand-crafted replica of a priceless Chippendale chair.

Newby has one of the best Chippendale collections in the country and, to mark the 300^th anniversary of the renowned furniture maker’s birth and the opening of a new Chippendale exhibition, it has unveiled a 2.2m high wooden chair at the end of its famed double herbaceous border. Visitors can now climb up to get a new view of the magnificent 172-metre-long flower beds – some of the longest in the UK – which are packed with around 6,500 plants.

Thomas Chippendale was commissioned to provide furniture for Newby Hall by an 18^th century ancestor of current owner Richard Compton. The house now boasts the most complete Chippendale interior in existence and, from this month until September, will be hosting a special Chippendale exhibition and guided tours of the collection.¹

Richard Compton said: “We wanted to link this year’s Chippendale celebrations with the collection at Newby and its magnificent gardens and thought this would be a great ‘immersive’ way to do it. You might not be able to clamber on our real Chippendale chairs, but we will be encouraging visitors to climb up and sit on our giant version to enjoy the view and have their photo taken.”

Head gardener Mark Jackson gets a grand view of the Newby borders …

The oversized chair has been handmade by craftsmen on the Newby estate and will be ‘planted’ in the garden over the summer months. Newby Hall & Gardens is marking the ‘Year of the Border’ this year as its flagship border reaches peak flower power.  The border has been a highlight of Newby’s beautiful 25-acre gardens since the 1920s and five years ago refurbishment work began to make sure it continues to wow for years to come.

Over several growing seasons, thousands of new plants were propagated or grown on and carefully planted up in a new, more naturalistic design by Newby’s expert team. This summer sees the hard work pay off as the plants mature and start to claim the stunning spacious border, which runs from the magnificent 17^th century house down to the River Ure, for their own.

The scale of the border means that staking the plants in the spring takes three days alone, whilst cutting it back in the autumn takes over a fortnight.

Newby Hall & Gardens is one of the country’s most important and beautiful 20^th century gardens – certainly, one of the North’s finest – boasting 14 ‘rooms’ within the main, formal garden including an early 20^th century rock garden, serene white garden, traditional rose garden and even a ‘hot’ tropical garden.

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For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Louise Scott on louise.s@newbyhall.com  01423 320412

 NOTES TO EDITORS

• ¹Thomas Chippendale was commissioned to provide furniture for Newby, including some fabulous Tapestry Room chairs, uniquely covered with fabric from the Gobelins Factory in Paris. This is the only Chippendale suite with its original covers and still in its original setting, and the Tapestry Room is the most complete Chippendale interior in existence. Together with dining chairs, hall chairs, card and Pembroke tables, the Newby Hall collection is internationally celebrated as one of the largest and most complete in private ownership anywhere. Until September 2018, there will be guided tours exploring the contribution Chippendale made to Newby Hall. Additional items of Chippendale furniture from other collections will also be displayed, illustrating the breadth of Chippendale’s skill. Chippendale Tours Wednesday and Saturday 3pm – please ask when buying your House tickets.
• Newby Hall is a William and Mary house located between Ripon and Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, built in the 1690s under the guidance of Christopher Wren. John Carr remodelled the house in the 18^th century, with interiors by Robert Adam and furniture by Chippendale
• Owner Richard Compton is the 10^th generation of his family to live at Newby. Richard’s wife Lucinda, the Curator of the Gardens, is on the North of England Horticultural Society council, which organises the very successful Harrogate Flower Shows
• The House and Gardens are open to the public from April to September, attracting around 130,000 visitors each season
• The gardening team has 6 full time gardeners and a handful of volunteers.  They care for the 25 acres of formal gardens and a further 15 acres of woodland and orchard.
• Newby Hall is just a few miles from the A1(M), the main London to Edinburgh motorway. Close by are the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors National Parks and the historic cities of York and Ripon.