The Colours of an English Autumn

Woodland Magic, Westonbirt Arboretum
© Copyright Anthony Volante

Autumn is a favourite time for many people, especially those who love the show of rich colours it brings with it. Of course you don't have to go far to the enjoy this seasonal spectacle (everyone has a tree or two near them!), but I thought it might be worth pointing out a few places in England where you're guaranteed a feast for your eyes as the leaves on our trees begin to 'bow out' in style.

Stourhead

Autumn foliage at Stourhead
Copyright Rod Allday

Stourhead is a 1,072-hectare estate at the source of the River Stour near Mere, Wiltshire, England. The estate includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmland, and woodland. The mansion houses a unique Regency library and fabulous collections of Chippendale furniture and paintings. Both the gardens and the house are open to the public (see website for details).

Stourhead is owned by The National Trust, which protects and opens to the public many historic houses and gardens, as well as industrial monuments and mills.

Address: Near Mere, Wiltshire, BA12 6QD

Batsford Arboretum

Autumn colours at Batsford Arboretum
© Copyright David Stowell

Batsford Arboretum is one of the jewels of the Cotswolds and one of the largest private collections of trees and shrubs in the country. Situated one and a half miles west of Moreton-in-Marsh (Gloucestershire - UK), Batsford Arboretum is tucked away on a south facing escarpment of the famous Cotswold Hills.

The website has full information about the history of the arboretum and the rare and unusual plants and trees it contains. You can also find out about the conservation work being done there and what they are planning for the future.

The arboretum is open every day except Christmas Day (see website for details).

Address: Batsford Park, Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 9AB.

Westonbirt
Westonbirt, the National Arboretum, is based in Gloucestershire and located three miles from the traditional Cotswolds market town of Tetbury. Westonbirt is an historic, Victorian picturesque landscape and an internationally important tree and shrub collection. It is managed by the Forestry Commission and supported by the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum. The 16,000 trees (2,500 different species) come from Britain, China, North America, Japan, Chile and other temperate climates.

Path through the Acer Glade, Westonbirt Arboretum
© Copyright Sarah Charlesworth

There are around 2,000 specimens of maples at Westonbirt and over 300 Japanese maple cultivars, making them a particular highlight in the autumn.

The arboretum is open every day except Christmas Day and New Years Day (see website for details).

Address: Near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8QS




The photographs in this post are licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence