Stunning drone footage shows Westonbirt trees nearing peak

Images reveal the golds, reds, purples, and oranges are continuing to provide a burst of joy as the days have become shorter and darker.

Such is the vibrancy of the displays experts are predicting autumn is yet to reach its peak with only a few weeks to go until winter. This is believed to be down to the fact the season has been warmer than average, with mean temperatures more than 1.5 °C above normal across most of the UK. 

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Mark Ballard, curator at Westonbirt Arboretum, said: “The conditions that make for a spectacular and longer autumn are a moist growing season followed by a dry autumn with warm, sunny days and cool nights.

“The rain and sun that we experienced throughout spring and summer means that the trees were able to produce the sugars which create the colours in their leaves for a spectacular autumn display.

“The length of display relies heavily on the weather throughout autumn. Although this autumn has been quite dull, it has been very mild which means the leaves have had time for the build-up of chlorophyll to entirely fade and their dormant pigments to fully take over.”

Fiona Dewsbury, forest centre manager at Forestry England’s Delamere Forest, added: “Autumn is just starting to get into full swing at Delamere Forest, the beech and sweet chestnut trees are looking fantastic. If you follow the Old Pail trail up the hill, you will be rewarded with a wonderful tapestry of autumnal colour.”

With a warming climate and changing rainfall patterns, Forestry England experts add that we can expect to see a change in autumn into the future.

Dan Luscombe, collections manager at Forestry England Bedgebury Pinetum, said: “A longer growing season will likely keep trees greener later into the autumn, however the risk of a sudden frost remains, which can cause vegetation to shed their leaves before they reach their full potential.”