Orchard and Hopyard
Our Orchard & Hopyard Pavilion celebrates the best of the great British harvest. Visitors can delight in the finest from the counties’ orchards and hopyards in hops, apples, perry and beer.
More Useful Information
The Orchard & Hopyard Pavilion was back bigger and better at this year’s show – bringing even more to discover and enjoy.
Orchard Area
Discover the rich heritage and modern innovations of cider and perry production in the Orchard Area and view examples of cider-making equipment.
This engaging display offers valuable insights into orchard care and the craft of creating this distinctive and highly valued drink. Learn how today’s orcharding practices compare with those of our ancestors, and explore a wealth of information on maintaining your own orchard. It’s also the perfect place to buy fresh produce from local orchards and farms while celebrating the legacy and future of apple and perry cultivation. Exhibitors in this area in 2025 included:
This year’s show also featured a NEW RHS display from the Gloucestershire Orchard Trust, showcasing over 80 apple cultivars native to Gloucestershire, along with many others historically planted in the region and known by local synonyms. The display highlighted the provenance of these apples and the environmental importance of traditional orchards as havens of biodiversity. Visitors will had the chance to taste rare eating apples and some bold cider varieties. Hartpury Heritage Trust and Frank P Matthews also be brought displays to this area.
NEW Three Counties International Perry Competition
A major highlight this year, was the launch of the inaugural Three Counties International Perry Competition, celebrating the unique heritage of perry pear growing and perry making in the Three Counties region. Organised by the Three Counties Cider & Perry Association, the competition and display aimed to deepen the understanding and appreciation of perry. Visitors could sample a wide range of single varieties, blends, and international perries, while learning from passionate producers who were on hand to share their expertise. Visitors could also cast their vote for their favourite perry.
The Three Counties Agricultural Society was proud to enter our very own Tumper Perry, from the National Perry Collection, into the competition for the first time, and it was available for tasting throughout the show.
NEW Perry Tasting & Talks
A dedicated talks area hosted sessions from renowned perry writer Adam Wells, and the resident perry maker at 99PINES, who also curates the Three Counties National Perry Collection.
There were also, multiple perry bars and exhibitors offering tastings, sales, and expert insights into the craft of perry making. These included:
Commercial Apple & Pear Competition
The pavilion hosts the Commercial Apples and Pears Competition, showcasing the region’s finest produce.
Commercial Fruit Juice Competition
Celebrate the vibrant flavours of the region with the Commercial Fruit Juice Competition, where local producers showcase their finest fresh fruit juices. From crisp apples to rich berry blends, this is your chance to sample the very best that Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire have to offer.
National Fruit Show Education Area
This is a fantastic area for children and families, with plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained.
There are opportunities to sample apples, apple juice, fruit leathers and apple crisps as well as displays of different types of apple trees, such as espalier, cordons and fans.
There is plenty of information on how trees are grafted rather than grown from seed and how to graft more than one variety on to a rootstock and advice on how to identify where fruit has been grown.
Visitors can learn how British orchards change throughout the seasons and about the life cycle of soft fruit and/or apples. There will be information on how to get into careers within the British fruit industry too.
Hopyard Area
The three shires of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire together produce more than half of the hops grown in the UK and are collectively known as the Hopshires.
The Malvern Autumn Show features a Hopyard Pavilion to allow hop growers and brewers in these counties to come together to promote the region’s hop-growing prowess and the vital role it has to play in the future of British brewing. Anyone interested in learning more about all aspects of the industry and hop-to-glass process will be able to chat to local growers and brewers in this area. Instone Court were selling hop bines at this year’s show.
