We have just returned home from a lovely morning at Newby Hall Gardens on the outskirts of Ripon today. It is just a steady fifty minute drive from home up the A1 and left a bit. Our last visit and first for many years was three months ago on the 31st May, then the garden borders were well established but hadn’t yet started to flower and I realised that in flower they will look quite spectacular hence our visit today and we were not disappointed. We arrived just as it opened around 11am and followed the gravelled path to the main house. From the front of the house we walked down the steps and headed away from the house towards the river following the path between the double Herbaceous Borders. The views and vistas looking back to the house and in the opposite direction towards the river are absolutely beautiful. The flowers and shrubs in the borders look a picture, the shapes, colours, scent and varieties look quite stunning. From the river we turned right following the path through the rock garden and across to the Curving Pergola which was covered in Laburnum ‘Vossii’, earlier in the year around Spring time the Pergola must be an absolute picture with the long golden yellow clusters of flowers hanging from the branches. From here we doubled back on ourselves and headed back under the Rose Pergola the scent from the roses hanging like scent in the air. Meeting up with the main pathway we passed Sylvia’s garden on the left, full of small beds of flowers and colourful all year round. From here we headed back up to the Lily pond in front of the house before heading over to the café for some brunch.  Hopefully we will have to try and get another visit in before the house and gardens close at the end of September.