WE’VE had a wonderful month at East Riddlesden Hall and it’s been so great to see lots of people spending their summer holiday here.

The straw bales beside the pond have been a popular place for wildlife watching, and the deckchairs in the garden have been well used by those enjoying a yummy Yorkshire ice-cream.

Now that September’s here we’re keen to enjoy the last of summer before the clocks go back. At this time of year the colours in the gardens start to turn to rich shades of orange, purple and gold.

Throughout the gardens you’ll see late flowering asters, verbena, daylilies, and scented clematis. Standing proud in the formal garden is the euonymus europaeus spindle tree – a tree rich in orange and scarlet fruit.

We have a great selection of organic fruit trees in the garden including apple, pear, mulberry, fig and cherry. Soon the branches of these trees will be weighed down by their juicy fruits - feel free to pick one and have a taste.

This September we’re celebrating a great harvest with ‘Fruitember’. Every Monday until September 30 you can meet a member of the gardening team between 2-3pm and tap into over 50 years of collective experience.

You’ll learn how to look after fruit trees and find out how to combine good design and colour with wildlife conservation. Along the way you’ll hear hints and tips towards how to create a wildlife friendly garden at home.

Every Wednesday until September 18 between 1-3pm you can learn how easy it is to extract colour from seasonal fruits to create your own natural dye. You’ll be invited to experiment with colour at these drop-in sessions and have a go at the traditional technique of fabric dyeing.

Throughout the month there’ll also be apple bird feeder making and apple pressing to get involved with. You can also follow a wooden bird tail through the garden and find out fun facts about our feathered friends.

On September 21 and 22 we’ll be taking part in England’s largest festival of history and culture, the National Heritage Days.

We’ll be throwing our doors open to celebrate our heritage, community and history and offering free admission all weekend. Over the two days we’ll be joined by two Yorkshire companies – Sing Gin and Chris Boddy Pottery.

On Saturday September 21, Harrogate based Sing Gin will be offering free tastings in the shop. Their gin is crafted from the grape and uses seven beautiful botanicals including juniper, mint, orange peel and flax.

On Sunday September 22 we’ll be joined by Chris Boddy, a Sheffield-based potter who creates beautiful glazed bowls.

You can watch the fascinating process he uses to produce unique leaf print pottery and see them come to life on his wheel. Finished pieces are available to buy in the shop.

East Riddlesden Hall is open Saturdays to Thursdays, 10.30am-4.30pm, and admission is free for National Trust members and under-fives.

For full details of what’s on, please follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/EastRiddlesdenHall or visit nationaltrust.org.uk/east-riddlesden-hall.