Visitors with headphones at Kingston Lacy, Dorset, with blossom in the background — Visitors in the garden at Kingston Lacy, Dorset | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Discover and learn

Would you like to dig a bit deeper into history, find gardening tips or even make a bug hotel? Discover more about the places you love and pick up some new skills.

Learn about people and places from the past and discover remarkable works of art, architecture and gardens.

More history

Daffodils dappled in sunlight next to a red brick wall

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The history of daffodils

Explore the history behind the daffodil, including how it came to be one of the UK's favourite flowers, where it came from and how to classify its many varieties.

A charcoal drawing of a lady in her mid-30s, with curled hair and a benevolent look on her face

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Great women gardeners

Learn about pioneering women gardeners from Edith, Lady Londonderry’s rare plants and symbolism, to Kitty Lloyd Jones, one of the first women to train as a professional horticulturalist.

A round two-storey building set with a conical roof is set into a wall, made of the same greyish stone. There's a stairway within the wall to the left of the building and behind it is a pink flowering cherry tree. It's a bright, sunny spring day and the sky is blue.

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What is a Dovecote?

Dovecotes were built by wealthy and aristocratic families from the Norman period onwards and doves were kept for both food, feathers and as status symbols.

NARCISSUS 'THE INCOMPARABLE DAFFODIL' by Georg Ehret, 1753. Botanical illustration situated in Gallery IV (the Botanical Gallery) at Dudmaston, Shropshire.

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Spring scenes in our collections

Spring's promise of new beginnings has been an inspiration to artists and designers for centuries. Discover spring through some of its most evocative depictions in the collections and objects we care for.

Read our guides to help you get closer to nature. Learn how to identify birdsong and spot bats, water voles and ancient trees, or have a go at forest bathing, rock pooling and many more activities.

More nature

White and pink blossom on a tree in spring

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How to spot different types of blossom

Blossom is popping up all over the place, but do you know your damson from your blackthorn? Find out how to spot different types of blossom in your local area with our blossom-spotting guide.

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Our guide to identifying birdsong

There are more than 600 known bird species in the UK and their calls are an important clue when bird spotting. Listen to our selection of distinctive birdsongs to get you started.

Close view of fossils at the disused Loftus Alum Works, North Yorkshire

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Common fossils to find at the coast

Do you know your ammonites from your devil’s toenails? Discover how to identify some of the fossils commonly found around the UK coast and where you might see them.

Wildflower meadow including oxeye daisies at Holnicote Estate, Somerset

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Wild flowers in Britain

Explore the stories behind some famous British wild flowers and how wildflower meadows support important species, from butterflies to bees.

Discover the benefits of eating seasonally and try some National Trust recipes for yourself.

More food

A collection desserts on a table, including lemon and white chocolate scones and fresh lemons

Recipes

Browse a selection of National Trust recipe ideas, from classics such as cheese scones and family-friendly treats to vegetarian and vegan dishes and seasonal delights.

Salad with chunks of red beetroot, strips of golden beetroot, slices of striped beetroot, walnuts and soft cheese

Recipe

Beetroot, walnut and soft cheese salad

Tuck into this salad with three types of beetroot, creamy Stilton, crunchy walnuts and a tangy dressing. 

Recipe

Coffee cake

This gluten-free coffee cake recipe, with its moist sponge and fluffy frosting both flavoured with coffee, makes an indulgent treat to enjoy with everyone.

Two gardeners harvest rhubarb from a large garden border in the walled kitchen garden at Clumber Park.

Article

Guide to seasonal food

Grow your own fruit and vegetables and help the environment by reducing food miles. Find out what to harvest, plant and buy each month with our handy guide to seasonal food.

Learn from our gardeners and make the most of your garden, plot or window box.

More gardening tips

Two garden volunteers at work in the walled garden at Wimpole, removing weeds and pruning among other tasks. Red tulips can be seen in bloom in the garden border.

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Gardening tips for spring

Make the most of your garden or growing space this spring with tips and advice from our gardeners. Find out about pruning shrubs, preparing flower borders, planting early vegetables and choosing the best blossom trees.

Gardeners adding compost to the beds at Nymans, West Sussex

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How to make your own compost

Follow these simple steps to make your own nutrient-packed compost at home. Learn about the qualities of good compost and find out top tips, including how to turn your heap and build your compost beds.

Family planting seeds in flower pots, Mottisfont, Hampshire

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Grow your own mini garden

Add a touch of colour to your windowsill and create a small haven for pollinators to thrive. Follow our easy step-by-step guide on how to grow your own mini garden.

Two volunteers working in the kitchen garden with a yellow bucket in the foreground at Saddlescombe Farm and Newtimber Hill, West Sussex

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Growing tips for allotments

Discover top tips on getting the most from your allotment or patch, and find out why growing your own fruit and vegetables is good for you in more ways than one.

Follow one of our many how-to guides and become an expert in something new in no time.

More crafts

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How to make an origami blossom

Try our step-by-step blossom origami tutorial in this easy spring-inspired craft. Make flowers in different sizes and colours to decorate your home or give to friends and family.

A child holding some petal art held from string

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Make some petal art

Unleash your creativity by designing your own unique petal art. You can gather fallen petals out on your adventures and use them to create your own blossom.

Adding the finishing touches to the bee box

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How to build a bee box

Bee populations have been dwindling in recent years, and building homes is just one way of encouraging them to stick around. Follow these steps to build your own nesting box to attract bees to your garden.

Enjoy a virtual exhibition, watch a behind-the-scenes video or listen to one of our podcasts.

More virtual visits

Podcast recording with Rangers at Harewoods and Outwood in the Surrey Hills, Surrey

Podcasts

Immerse yourself in award-winning stories of history, nature and adventure linked to the places in our care with our podcasts.

Detail of the elaborate ceiling in the Tapestry Room at Nostell Priory, Yorkshire

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Online exhibitions

Delve into our online exhibitions, where you can see artworks and discover the history of the places and collections in our care from the comfort of your own home.

Wildflower meadow at Holnicote Estate, Somerset

Holnicote, Somerset

Take an interactive 360° virtual tour of the diverse landscapes and habitats on the Holnicote Estate. Explore beaver enclosures, ancient oak woodland, saltmarshes and more in this immersive audio experience, and learn about the vital work for nature in west Somerset.

Featuring in costume dramas, fantasy worlds and fairy tales, discover the films and TV shows that have been made at National Trust places.

More film and TV