Despite forecasts predicting a difficult year for British gardeners due to record-breaking heat, drought warnings, and climate challenges, the National Trust’s gardens across England are celebrating an unexpected bounty in 2025. From Cornwall’s heritage orchards to vegetable patches in Devon and Somerset, apples, pumpkins, squash, and pears have arrived early and in remarkable abundance—a surprising twist amid climatic uncertainty.
The UK endured its hottest summer on record, accompanied by drought conditions reminiscent of 1976, aligning with concerns over agriculture’s future. However, a preceding wet 2024 replenished soil moisture and set the stage for this thriving harvest. Rebecca Bevan, the National Trust’s Plant Health and Sustainability Consultant, explains that the combination of last year’s heavy rains and this year’s sunny spring and summer created ideal conditions for healthy fruit development and pollination.
At Cotehele in Cornwall, the Trust’s ‘Mother Orchard’ boasting 125 apple varieties yielded an exceptionally large, early crop. Head gardener David Bouch noted initial skepticism as fruit appeared small during dry periods but credits recent rains for rapid growth. To prevent waste, they introduced additional apple-picking days for visitors.
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Similarly, Buckland Abbey near Plymouth is experiencing a record season with 50% more pumpkins and squash than usual, harvesting six weeks earlier than typical. North Devon’s Arlington Court harvested over 60 kilos from just two espaliers of Devonshire Quarrenden apples, contributing to tea-room treats like scones and crumbles. At Dyrham Park near Bath, apples and pears matured sooner than usual, enabling earlier perry production.
Somerset’s Montacute House and Tintinhull Garden report apples with higher natural sugar, while Killerton near Exeter enjoys flourishing plums and pears, benefiting from mild blossom weather. Gardens like Trelissick credit the warm spring for boosting pollinators and supporting fruit development.
Even at Dunster Castle, early leaf fall accompanies abundant fruit on trees that provide food for migratory birds, adding to the season’s vibrancy. Across properties, the harvest is fueling kitchens and tea-rooms, producing juices, crumbles, and dried fruit crisps that capture the season’s essence.
The National Trust offers practical tips for home fruit enthusiasts, emphasizing careful handling, cool storage for apples, and “curing” pumpkins on sunny windowsills to extend their shelf life.
While this remarkable season brings welcome optimism, Rebecca Bevan cautions that increasing weather extremes remain a challenge. Nonetheless, resilience, thoughtful gardening, and attentiveness to seasonal rhythms showcase nature’s capacity to surprise positively, reminding us that patience and adaptation remain key to fruitful gardening. As autumn advances, the National Trust gardens may calm, but their harvests and spirits remain rich.