Hanbury's garden in autumn

From mid-September onwards, we expect to see the first signs of autumn throughout the gardens. The trees begin to show hints of seasonal colour and continue to change right through until late November, so there is always a different, colourful landscape to be seen. The Lime, Oak and Elm trees that make up the avenues are awash with vibrant colour and look particularly impressive from the Stableyard.

Autumn is the ideal time to explore Hanbury’s gardens, jump in crunchy leaves, discover shiny conkers from our magnificent Horse Chestnut tree and enjoy the invigorating fresh air with all the family.

Autumn Highlights

Challenge friends to a game of conkers foraged from our magnificent horse chestnut tree.
Visit the Orchard and see the branches of our apple trees heavy with ripened fruit.
Keep your eyes peeled for the first signs of migrating birds in the garden. Especially Fieldfares and Redwings which are attracted by the windfall apples in the orchard.

Walled Garden

Enjoy a little seclusion among the flowers, fruits and vegetables of the peaceful Walled Garden. The Vernon family would have used the seasonal produce grown here to supply their kitchen and we continue this tradition by using the fruits and vegetables in our tearoom.

Spread over one and a half acres, our productive Walled Garden is certified organic by the Soil Association. The autumn months are some of the most productive here with a bountiful harvest of pumpkins, squashes, leeks, cabbages, celeriac and swede. Top of our gardener’s to do list in the autumn, is to harvest this produce for use in our tearooms and for sale at the produce stall in the garden for you to enjoy at home.

Walled Orchard and Formal Fruit Garden

The walled orchard and the formal fruit garden contain 56 traditional English fruit varieties, including the Golden Pippin, Howgate Wonder and the traditional Bramley. Harvesting begins in the early autumn, and this year you'll be able to pick your own from mid-September through til October. Be sure to stop and take a look at the trees heavy and leaden with fruit before the harvest begins!

Find out more...

Most days you'll find our gardening team hard at work, whatever the weather. They'll be happy to tell you more about the gardens and share a few of their tips, or you can just take a seat and enjoy the results of all their hard work.