Newby Hall in July

Few places evoke the spirit of previous generations better than Sylvia’s Garden, a cloistered enclave of ancient stone terraces and ephemeral flowers that lies at the heart of Newby Hall. ‘It was designed in 1930 by my grandfather, Major Edward Compton, and commemorates his wife, Sylvia,’ explains Richard Compton, whose family have nurtured the 25-acre woodland and gardens since 1748. Continuity is vital for great family gardens to survive. At Newby Hall, a seamless transition between generations was ensured by a knowledge transfer from Richard’s father, Robin Compton VMH, to his daughter-in-law, Lucinda Compton. ‘My father was a passionate gardener with an encyclopaedic grasp of horticulture and, for a decade or so, he regularly took Lucinda round the garden on his golf buggy.’