Harvest time at Mottisfont

Four children play in autumn leaves in the grounds of Mottisfont, Hampshire

This article was about activities which took place in autumn 2018, and are now finished.

We're celebrating Harvest Time until Sunday 4 November, 10am-5pm. Normal property admission price only.

For families

A family explore the grounds of Mottisfont, Hampshire in autumn

Spot the scarecrows at Mottisfont 

Different scarecrows are hiding all around the grounds, as part of our harvest celebrations. Follow the trail to find them all, and make a scarecrow hat to take home.

Enjoy some family fun this October

Help us with our harvest

As well as enjoying the colourful, seasonal displays from our trees, you can help contribute to our compost. Who doesn't love gathering big handfuls of crunchy autumn leaves? You'll find leaf bins dotted around the north and south paddocks for throwing in your harvest - our gardeners will then add them into the compost mix.

Compost is integral to keeping our gardens in top condition, and fallen leaves are an important ingredient.

Garden highlights

Yellow plane trees and other autumn colours beside the font stream at Mottisfont, Hampshire

Experience autumn colour 

Our gardens are ablaze with colour in autumn. The stately trees which frame the house and grounds are crowned with glowing red, orange and gold shades from late September through to November. There's something new to discover this year, too - take a wander through our innovative new Kitchen Garden.

Raised beds planted with vegetales and a pergola in the Kitchen Garden at Mottisfont

Creating our Kitchen Garden 

Thanks to money raised through the Walled Garden Appeal, we've created a new Kitchen Garden in the area formerly known as the 'Frameyard'. The new design reflects both Mottisfont’s medieval history and the garden's productive past.

Autumn on the wider estate

Through our harvest celebrations, we're giving you the opportunity to discover more about our wider estate. Head to the stables to learn about autumn produce and wildlife.

October marks the beginning of felling season: we have an active working coppice in the Mottisfont woodlands. We cut hazel on rotation to produce an ongoing supply of produce including charcoal and faggots, which are available from the shop.

In an effort to play a part in reducing plastic waste, we're launching new hessian packaging for the produce this autumn – the first of its kind in the National Trust.

On the 6, 7, 27 and 28 October volunteers will be showcasing traditional woodturning skills.

You can explore the wider estate at your leisure with one of our downloadable walking trails. Why not visit the Millenium Orchard in the village just beyond our gardens? Managed by a dedicated volutneer team, the orchard is filled with traditional apple varieties in autumn, such as southern England cultivar the Egremont Russet.

A path by the river at Mottisfont, Hampshire in autumn

Autumn walks 

Take in all the colours of autumn with a walk around our gardens, or head into our wider estate. Experience our grounds with a free guided walk, or stroll freely along winding paths. If you fancy a a longer walk, head out into our neighbouring countryside: our estate trails offer stunning views of a landscape changing with the seasons.

Get your walking boots on

Celebrate your own harvest

Want to celebrate harvest at home? We've created two handy how-tos to help you create compost and make your own cider.

A pile of seasonal produce dug up from a vegetable patch

Our guide to making your own compost 

Our gardeners have written some top tips for making your own compost at home. Follow this cost effective, step-by-step guide to help your garden - it will help reduce waste, too.

Freshly pressed apple juice streaming from a wooden press

How to make cider 

Area Ranger Cat Hadler looks after the countryside of South West Hampshire, and loves to forage for wild ingredients. Every autumn, she'll be found in Mottisfont's Millenium Orchard and the surrounding woodlands gathering ripe apples and crab apples to make cider. Here's her step-by-step guide to creating your own.