National Trust experts are tipping a long, colourful autumn display at many of the charity’s gardens, parklands and woodlands this year, thanks to plentiful sunshine and welcome late rain which put the brakes on a ‘false autumn’ caused by hot, dry conditions.

Early autumn at National Trust Stourhead

Many gardeners and countryside managers agree that autumn in the UK arrived swiftly this year, as if someone had ‘flicked a switch’, but they predict a gradual build of colour to wow visitors. And the signs are good for wildlife, too, with widespread reports of abundant acorns, fungi and berries in gardens and the countryside.

John Deakin, Head of Trees and Woodland at the National Trust said: “Autumn is such a pivotal moment in the calendar, shorter days combined with normally cooler temperatures and changes to rainfall patterns all contributing to the vivid sylvan scenes of ochres, oranges, red and yellows we associate and love with the season.

“In recent years with the climate becoming more unpredictable, it’s become even trickier to predict autumn colour. However, this year with the combination of reasonably widespread rainfall in September and a particularly settled spring we should hopefully see a prolonged period of trees moving into senescence – i.e. the gradual breakdown of chlorophyll in leaves which leads to the revealing of other pigments that give leaves their autumn colour, as well as a bounty of nuts and berries.”

Sheffield Park and Garden is famous for its autumn colour

Sheffield Park and Garden in East Sussex, well known for its autumn colour, entered a ‘false autumn’ due to stress, but rain showers have put the season back on track.

Head Gardener Steve Feazey said: “Our trees have had a good drink and we are now hopeful that our autumn display will be as fiery and spectacular as ever. When our bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) at the entrance turns completely yellow, we’re officially in autumn.”

Petworth House and Park in neighbouring West Sussex – whose golden autumn beauty was immortalised by JMW Turner – also had some ‘false starts’ due to drought stress, but Gardens and Outdoors Manager Martyn Burkinshaw says autumn colour is now starting to kick in.

Martyn said: “The summer drought has been hard on our veteran trees, which are hugely important for a wide variety of wildlife. Some have unfortunately died and others have already dropped their leaves for winter, but our American oaks, scarlet oaks and pin oaks are beginning to turn red and the copper colours of our swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum) on the lake should not be missed on an autumn afternoon.

“The way the colours are presenting now I'd estimate the best time for autumn colour will be mid-late October.”

Autumn at Petworth Park

At Stourhead in Wiltshire, long celebrated for its autumn displays, Gardens and Countryside Manager Tim Parker thinks we’ll see a gradual build to autumn. Some trees did drop leaves early due to heat stress but he thinks the landscape is still on track to peak in the last week of October or first week or November.

Tim said: “Autumn is a particularly special time here and visitors really do get twice the seasonal effect, thanks to the reflections in the lake. We’re already seeing early performers like the katsura tree turning buttery yellow and there is some acer colour – and there’s plenty more to come.

“The wet spring and dry summer, along with high sugar content in the leaves, should give us rich, vibrant colour.”

Autumn colours at Stourhead

In the Midlands of England, Paul Walton, Head Gardener at Biddulph Grange Garden in Staffordshire, is similarly optimistic, predicting a gradual autumn that lasts longer than in recent years.

Paul said: “I think we’re well on the way to having a good autumn. We had an early frost a couple of weeks ago and the tips of the broadleaf trees are starting to turn. We’ve had an autumnal feel since early September, with cool mornings and heavy dew. Unless we have a hard frost, I think we could be in for a really good show that will progress through to a peak in late October or early November.”

And, in the north of England, at Gibside near Newcastle, Head Gardener Cail Stewart suspects reds may dominate the garden’s autumn colour palette this year, because of high levels of anthocyanin in the leaves.

Cail said: “We think this pigment helps trees defend themselves against damage from extreme light. I’m already noticing way more red pigment, for example in our ash trees, which could be a protective response to this summer’s strong sunshine and heat.”

The National Trust is Europe’s largest conservation charity and cares for more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 890 miles of coastline, 1 million collection items and 500 historic properties, gardens and nature reserves.

Spectacular autumn displays are likely to be witnessed across the country this year, so wherever you are in the United Kingdom, be sure to enjoy the fabulous foliage!

Fall is a fantastic time of year to visit the United Kingdom, as the crowds of summer have gone and the weather Is often still pleasantly mild. If you or your group would like to enjoy a tailor-made autumn vacation in the UK and Ireland, when the colours of the leaves are at their finest, please contact our friendly team today.