Enjoy a classic English autumn celebration

Does your apple tree bear the fruits of England’s heritage? Audley End House & Gardens is opening its doors on Sunday 30 September for its third annual Apple Day. The day is a celebration all things apple-related and shows the many uses of the popular and versatile fruit. Visitors are invited to join in with the fun and bring along their own garden apples for identification by some of the apple experts on site.

The event is set to take place in the flourishing organic kitchen gardens of Audley End House, managed by Garden Organic, where box-edged paths and trained fruits accurately portray the garden as it would have been in its Victorian heyday. On the day there will also be fascinating talks about the heritage of apples, and visitors can sample produce from the garden itself.

Garden Organic’s Mike Thurlow, Head Gardener at Audley End Organic Kitchen Garden, comments: “Apple Day at Audley End is a unique opportunity to see authentic Victorian apples actually growing within the walls of the restored organic kitchen garden. The garden is laid out just as it would have been in Victorian times and still supplies Audley End house with produce. Most of the varieties of fruit and veg grown are of Victorian origin and many are grown from seed supplied by Garden Organic's heritage seed library.

“Garden Organic grows over 100 different varieties of apples in the kitchen garden, with fruit produced for over nine months of the year starting with White Joaneting in July and finishing with D'arcy Spice in March/April. This year for Apple Day we have a bountiful harvest for visitors to see and try.”

The day promises to be fun for all the family, with a variety of apple-themed events taking place throughout the day. Adults can enjoy jam and wine tasting in the vinery while the kids can join in with the entertaining activities on offer and try some of the yummy apple-based treats!

Alongside the array of apple activities, visitors are encouraged to explore the stunning grounds of Audley End House, which dates back to the early 1600s. The grounds include ornamental gardens and a beautiful lake, filled with water from the River Cam. The house itself is steeped in history and boasts an extensive portrait collection and an impressive array of natural history curiosities once belonging to Baron Braybrooke.

The Apple Day event is jointly managed by English Heritage and Garden Organic, the national charity for organic growing. The extensive apple collection on display exceeds 100 varieties from all seven member counties of the East of England Apples and Orchards Project. In addition to the apple activities, there will be a range of specialist stalls at the event including a bee keeper providing talks and selling honey, and a basket maker demonstrating traditional weaving skills.

Garden Organic will be giving out a host of useful gardening information, and an array of delicious fruit and fresh pressed juices will be sold by Cam Valley Orchards.

For more information, visit English-heritage.org.uk.