LATE LEAF FALL
Earlier this year, an arborist friend predicted an extended autumn foliage display was on the cards, following a particularly wet summer. He was right. Leaf fall, which makes walking in the woods fun and working in the garden harder, is a lot later this year.
Andrew Smith, director at Westonbirt Arboretum, who is always hoping for spectacular autumn colours, said, ‘This spring was very dry, resulting in thirsty trees and slower sugar production. The wet summer was just what they needed to help them turn things around to give us a superb display.”
Autumn is a busy time for Westonbirt and although tricky to predict when the colour will be at it’s best, a lot of the trees are only just turning, which coincided nicely with the half term break this year.
Maple trees are always the first to turn, and most of them, and the magnificently coloured Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper) have shed their vibrant leaves already, standing amid glorious red and gold carpets. However, beech and oak trees will take considerably longer, leading to a “second autumn” going well into this month.
Of course, windy conditions will soon persuade any late leaves to part company with their host. AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said, “We’re predicting November to January to be the height of windstorm season. With late-autumn foliage predicted, storms could bring a premature end to the displays.”
Knowing my luck we’ll have gales in the few days between me writing this column and you reading it and there won’t be a leaf left on a tree!
Places to visit for autumn colour include, of course, the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Aberglasney, and Dyffryn Gardens, but do call first to see if the leaves are still on the trees or on the ground, and remember even if they’re on the ground you can still have a great walk and cup of coffee afterwards.
And if you want to enjoy autumn colour a bit closer to home, in your own garden, consider the old favourites like Acers, Liquidambar, Amelanchier and Enkianthus, or simply go to a garden centre to see what is in ‘all it’s glory’ and buy it!