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Visitors with headphones at Kingston Lacy, Dorset, with blossom in the background
Visitors in the garden at Kingston Lacy, Dorset | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Discover and learn

Would you like to dig a bit deeper into history, find gardening tips or even make a bug hotel? Discover more about the places you love and pick up some new skills. 

History

Learn about people and places from the past and discover remarkable works of art, architecture and gardens.

Daffodils dappled in sunlight next to a red brick wall
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The history of daffodils 

Explore the history behind the daffodil, including how it came to be one of the UK's favourite flowers, where it came from and how to classify its many varieties.

A charcoal drawing of a lady in her mid-30s, with curled hair and a benevolent look on her face
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Great women gardeners 

Learn about pioneering women gardeners from Edith, Lady Londonderry’s rare plants and symbolism, to Kitty Lloyd Jones, one of the first women to train as a professional horticulturalist.

A round two-storey building set with a conical roof is set into a wall, made of the same greyish stone. There's a stairway within the wall to the left of the building and behind it is a pink flowering cherry tree. It's a bright, sunny spring day and the sky is blue.
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What is a Dovecote? 

Dovecotes were built by wealthy and aristocratic families from the Norman period onwards and doves were kept for both food, feathers and as status symbols.

NARCISSUS 'THE INCOMPARABLE DAFFODIL' by Georg Ehret, 1753. Botanical illustration situated in Gallery IV (the Botanical Gallery) at Dudmaston, Shropshire.
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Spring scenes in our collections 

Spring's promise of new beginnings has been an inspiration to artists and designers for centuries. Discover spring through some of its most evocative depictions in the collections and objects we care for.

Nature

Read our guides to help you get closer to nature. Learn how to identify birdsong and spot bats, water voles and ancient trees, or have a go at forest bathing, rock pooling and many more activities.

White and pink blossom on a tree in spring
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How to spot different types of blossom 

Blossom is popping up all over the place, but do you know your damson from your blackthorn? Find out how to spot different types of blossom in your local area with our blossom-spotting guide.

Skylark at Lyme Park, Cheshire in June
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Our guide to identifying birdsong 

There are more than 600 known bird species in the UK and their calls are an important clue when bird spotting. Listen to our selection of distinctive birdsongs to get you started.

Close view of fossils at the disused Loftus Alum Works, North Yorkshire
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Common fossils to find at the coast 

Do you know your ammonites from your devil’s toenails? Discover how to identify some of the fossils commonly found around the UK coast and where you might see them.

Wildflower meadow including oxeye daisies at Holnicote Estate, Somerset
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Wild flowers in Britain 

Explore the stories behind some famous British wild flowers and how wildflower meadows support important species, from butterflies to bees.

Food

Discover the benefits of eating seasonally and try some National Trust recipes for yourself.

Large baked quiche with salmon and watercress filling

Recipes 

Browse a selection of National Trust recipe ideas, from classics such as cheese scones and family-friendly treats to vegetarian and vegan dishes and seasonal delights.

Stack of chocolate cookies and a bowl of mini chocolate eggs in the background
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Easter cookies 

Create the perfect cookie that's chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Just make sure to make plenty, as everyone will want an extra one (or two).

Hot cross bun bread and butter pudding
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Recipe

Hot cross bun bread and butter pudding 

Try this interesting twist on the traditional pudding, ideal for using up days-old hot cross buns that have slightly dried.

Gardeners working in the Walled Garden at LLanerchaeron in Ceredigion, Wales.
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Guide to seasonal food 

Grow your own fruit and vegetables and help the environment by reducing food miles. Find out what to harvest, plant and buy each month with our handy guide to seasonal food.

Gardening tips

Learn from our gardeners and make the most of your garden, plot or window box.

Two garden volunteers at work in the walled garden at Wimpole, removing weeds and pruning among other tasks. Red tulips can be seen in bloom in the garden border.
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Gardening tips for spring 

Make the most of your garden or growing space this spring with tips and advice from our gardeners. Find out about pruning shrubs, preparing flower borders, planting early vegetables and choosing the best blossom trees.

Gardeners adding compost to the beds at Nymans, West Sussex
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How to make your own compost 

Follow these simple steps to make your own nutrient-packed compost at home. Learn about the qualities of good compost and find out top tips, including how to turn your heap and build your compost beds.

Family planting seeds in flower pots, Mottisfont, Hampshire
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Grow your own mini garden 

Add a touch of colour to your windowsill and create a small haven for pollinators to thrive. Follow our easy step-by-step guide on how to grow your own mini garden.

Gardener planting seeds for the traditional Christmas garland in the greenhouse at Cotehele, Cornwall
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Growing tips for allotments 

Discover top tips on getting the most from your allotment or patch, and find out why growing your own fruit and vegetables is good for you in more ways than one.

Crafts

Follow one of our many how-to guides and become an expert in something new in no time.

Multiple origami blossom flowers
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How to make an origami blossom 

Try our step-by-step blossom origami tutorial in this easy spring-inspired craft. Make flowers in different sizes and colours to decorate your home or give to friends and family.

Finished dyed Easter eggs
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How to make naturally dyed Easter eggs 

Create some vibrant Easter eggs from natural ingredients by following this step-by-step guide and video tutorial. Use them in your Easter egg hunt or as handmade Easter decorations.

Adding the finishing touches to the bee box
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How to build a bee box 

Bee populations have been dwindling in recent years, and building homes is just one way of encouraging them to stick around. Follow these steps to build your own nesting box to attract bees to your garden.

Virtual visit

Enjoy a virtual exhibition, watch a behind-the-scenes video or listen to one of our podcasts.

Recording the Wild Isles podcast 'Beginner's guide to camping' on Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour
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National Trust Podcast: series eight 

Immerse yourself in the past or explore the natural world from your armchair in series eight of the National Trust Podcast.

An ornate, richly decorated bedroom, with a four-poster hung with red damask, mahogany furniture and classical portraits on the walls
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Online exhibitions 

Delve into our online exhibitions, where you can see artworks and discover the history of the places and collections in our care from the comfort of your own home.

Wildflower meadow at Holnicote Estate, Somerset

Holnicote, Somerset 

Take an interactive 360° virtual tour of the diverse landscapes and habitats on the Holnicote Estate. Explore beaver enclosures, ancient oak woodland, saltmarshes and more in this immersive audio experience, and learn about the vital work for nature in west Somerset.

Film and TV

Featuring in costume dramas, fantasy worlds and fairy tales, discover the films and TV shows that have been made at National Trust places.

A large camera on the shoulder of a person during the filming of Wolf Hall at Montacute House, Somerset
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Top film locations at the National Trust 

Many of the places in our care have been locations for films and TV dramas. Hear from two of our filming and location managers as they discuss the most popular filming locations and share their best stories from behind the scenes.

Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott being filmed cooking in an outdoor kitchen at Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire
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Ainsley's National Trust Cook Off 

Find out about ITV's new series, Ainsley's National Trust Cook Off, where celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott hosts a friendly cooking competition at some of the kitchen gardens in our care.

Collections and house manager at Polesden Lacey cleaning a red Faberge egg
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Hidden Treasures of the National Trust 

Follow our conservators, curators and volunteers at work and get closer to the objects they care for in series one and two of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust.

TV presenter Matt Baker during the filming of Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker
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Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker 

We've been searching for a tenant farmer to manage a vacant farm in Northumberland. You can follow along by tuning in to Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker – a new TV show on Channel 4. The series features seven shortlisted applicants applying for a 10-year tenancy on the Wallington estate.

Walkers sat by a waterfall on the Afon Tarell river in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales

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