Autumn is a fabulous time of year at Westonbirt and wherever you go, the natural firework display of colours is superb.
Every year, thousands of visitors make their way to Westonbirt during October and November to experience the climax of colour before the winter sets in.
Weather conditions through the spring, summer and right up to early autumn can influence the time and rate of leaf colouring and you can never guess which trees will provide the year’s ‘star turn’. However for regular visitors, part of the fascination is that every year is different from the last.
Pick up your autumn trail map from admissions or the Great Oak Hall information point to find the best of the season's offering. Each stop on the 2011 trail featured a Japanese haiku-style poem written by Friends, visitors and school children for the Westonbirt Magazine.
Westonbirt's maples
With around 2,000 specimens of maples at Westonbirt and just over 300 Japanese maple cultivars, it is no wonder that we associate autumn with this group of plants. Maples are found across the arboretum, but particularly in Acer Glade in the Old Arboretum, and in the National Japanese Maple Collection and Maple Loop in Silk Wood.
Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are particularly well known for the vibrant autumn colour. They are relatively small plants and are good for any small garden (visit the Westonbirt Plant Centre and take one home for yourself!).
Autumn favourites
One of the first trees to start to show autumn colour is the big full moon maples (Acer japonicum). We have 82 examples at Westonbirt (see the Westonbirt Interactive Map for locations). One fantastic specimen is located on Holford Ride (23D) and can start to colour from early September.
The Chinese spindle (Euonymus oxyphyllus), is also an early starter. The spindle is a much more delicate plant and produces pretty pink coloured leaves in autumn. The fruits are also very attractive and certainly add to the display. A good example can be found in the Old Arboretum, at the junction of Pool Avenue and Morley Ride (24C).
The Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) originates from northern Iran and north east Turkey and was introduced into this country in 1879. We have over 50 specimens growing in both parts of the arboretum - try the area around Colour Circle (21E) for just a few examples. The leaves turn a variety of reds, golds and purples.
The hickories are another group of big trees that produce stunning autumn displays - this time with a pure yellow foliage.
One specimen that stuns visitors each year is along Main Drive (18F).
Some trees produce rich aromas at this time of year and the very best for this is the katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) from Japan and China. Its rich autumn colours are complemented by a smell, some describe as burnt caramel or candyfloss. A good group can be found along Main Drive in the Old Arboretum (24F and 25F).
Unexplored colour
Venture from Acer Glade and the maple hot-spots, and even the most regular of visitors could discover new areas of spectacular autumn colour. Here are just a few pointers to get you started:
Climb the slope away from Waste Drive in Silk Wood, and you'll discover Beech Bank; a wilder landscape of beech, oak, field maple and dogwood. The beech trees in particular provide a beautiful show of late autumn colour.
Another adventure towards Maple Loop will take you to Concord Glade (19M). Here you'll find interesting species including deciduous conifers, swamp cypress and larch. The former's leaves turn a gorgeous tawny, orange shade.
And for searchers of real tranquillity, try the ash collection near to Waste Drive. In a good year some species can surprise with their colour.
Busy in the spring but often overlooked in the autumn, Silk Wood’s cherry collection (14L) provides great autumn colour, and this area is well worth a detour from the more popular Link (15M).
