Small space, big surprises

Small is beautiful; small perhaps can’t measure up to the high and mighty, but sometimes it is so perfectly formed that it doesn’t really matter.

Which is the case with Sutton Park, the mellow brick, 18th-century house in the equally lovely village of Sutton-on-the-Forest, near York.

Don’t expect big or you’ll arrive and be disappointed; visit with an open mind and enjoy what’s on offer – the elegant house with its links to Buckingham Palace, the gardens, even a falconry centre (in the old walled garden) which is home to much more than just a couple of Harry Potter owl lookalikes.

All add up to make it an afternoon delight.

Back in 2010, the gardens picked up a Yorkshire in Bloom gong for its gardens. And deservedly so, because despite being what some would call “compact”, they are a true delight, packed with plants, colour and perfume.

The herbaceous borders may not be on the same scale as Ripon’s Newby Hall, but they include a multitude of carefully-planted species, and if anyone ever doubted the intrinsic beauty of the ornamental pear, then Sutton Hall proves that not only can its soft silver foliage add depth and shape to a garden befitting a stately home, but it’s also a tree not too big for the average garden.

Sutton Park boasts several, although just a single specimen should be sufficient for most people.

The gardens also possess a multitude of stately trees – from the mighty redwood to cedars of Lebanon.

Yet it’s the beds and borders which nuzzle the house itself which are the true delights. Anyone seeking inspiration could do worse than take a tour – pen and paper in hand – to note down what plants could just as easily grace a smaller plot.

Size isn’t everything; quality counts.

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