Autumn celebrations at Apple events across Scotland with the National Trust

The National Trust for Scotland is celebrating autumn harvest by inviting people to its annual Apple events across the country.

The Trust is home to hundreds of varieties of apples, including many special, heritage species, and it carries out work year-round to preserve some of Scotland’s older and rarer varieties. To celebrate the arrival of autumn and harvest season, the conservation charity is hosting a series of events at many of its orchards across the country.

Colin Wren, Gardens & Designed Landscapes Manager at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “Our apple events across the Trust are a fun way to celebrate this wonderful fruit in a way that is enjoyable and engaging for people of all ages. With many games and activities, delicious food and drink, and of course the opportunity to explore our gardens, they offer something for everyone. But these events are also a way for us to enjoy this humble fruit and remind people not to take it for granted.

“We expect that a changing climate may affect many apple species so it’s important that we maintain the diversity of the fruits we grow. We want to ensure that these apples aren’t lost, so we’re investing in a range of activities to conserve Scotland’s heritage varieties for generations to come.”

This year’s apple events include:

• Pitmedden Garden – Ellon, Aberdeenshire

Sunday 29 September – 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Pitmedden’s orchard is home to more than 200 fruit trees, including the historical espalier apple trees that line its garden walls.

This year’s Apple Sunday event celebrates these humble trees with a day packed with autumnal fun for all ages, including music from Ythan Fiddlers, Tarves Folk Club, and Meldrum Academy; home baking, refreshments, and hot food; local craft and food stalls; woodturning demonstrations; face painting, storytelling, trails, and a craft area; and the Balloon Mannies and family lawn games. Guests can also treat themselves to some of Pitmedden Garden’s own delicious varieties of apples and pears.

Entry: a donation to the National Trust for Scotland; no booking required.

• Falkland Palace & Garden – Falkland, Fife

Saturday 5 October – 11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The 400-year-old orchard at Falkland Palace is bounded by willow beds and old apple, pear, and cherry trees are underplanted with lots of spring bulbs and a rich carpet of wildflowers.

This year’s Apple Day honours these heritage variety apples and guests can enjoy fresh apple juice from Falkland’s Apple Presse. They are even welcome to bring their own bottle to take some away. Apple Trees will also be on sale for those who wish to create their own apple harvest bounty.

Entry: a donation to the National Trust for Scotland is welcome; no booking required.

• Harmony Garden – Melrose, Scottish Borders

Friday 11 and Saturday 12 October – 10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Harmony Garden is a peaceful escape with manicured lawns, scented borders, and fruit and vegetable beds overlooking Melrose Abbey.

Guests at this year’s Apple Weekend can retreat to this beautiful garden to admire heritage apple displays; participate in nature activities hosted by rangers from St Abbs Head National Nature Reserve; enjoy printing workshops hosted by the team from Robert Smail’s Printing Works; and experience the Britannia XIV re-enactment group.

On Saturday only, there will be local market trader stalls, alpaca walks, and Gaita medieval music.

Entry: £1.00 booked in advance online or cash on entry.

• Kellie Castle & Garden – Anstruther, Fife

Saturday 19 October – Apple Display: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Lecture: 3:00p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The walled garden at Kellie Castle is filled with a variety of fruit, flowers, and vegetables and is entirely cultivated using only organic methods. This year, the team is hosting the Apples of Kellie event, where guests are invited to see an apple display in the undercroft all day, as well as buy produce for sale, and attend a fun-filled talk celebrating all things apple in the afternoon.

Colin Wren, Gardens & Designed Landscape Manager at the National Trust for Scotland, will discuss the Trust’s collection of apples and how it is preserving them, from taking graft material from old trees to produce new, young trees, to doing DNA testing to establish the names of some of the older varieties that have proved difficult to identify from fruits.

Entry: £5.89 booked in advance online.

The Apple events support the National Trust for Scotland’s vision to care for, share and protect Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage for everyone to enjoy, as outlined in its 10-year strategy, launched in 2022. These events help to deliver its engagement objectives to provide access and enjoyment for everyone.