A confused autumn could bring vivid colours across Britain
Autumn could be unusually colourful, and unusually unpredictable, this year, with the National Trust reporting early leaf fall, delayed seasonal changes and plants flowering at unexpected times after an exceptionally hot and dry summer.
The charity’s tree and garden specialists say drought stress has already prompted some trees to shed their leaves, creating signs of a so-called “false autumn”. But healthy foliage that has survived the summer could still produce strong displays if cooler, settled weather arrives over the coming weeks.
Luke Barley, Senior National Specialist in Trees and Woodland at the National Trust, said the combination of intense sunshine and drought had made the usual signs of autumn harder to interpret. He also warned that changing climate patterns are making seasonal behaviour increasingly difficult to predict.
The effects are already varying significantly between locations. At Stourhead in Wiltshire, trees around the lake have come through the dry conditions relatively well, with recent rain, cooler nights and morning dew helping the landscape recover. In north Wales, however, some birches and maples at Bodnant have already lost their leaves.
The timing of autumn is proving equally inconsistent. At Cotehele in Cornwall, gardeners expect the main display to arrive later than usual, potentially peaking between mid-October and mid-November. At Mount Stewart in County Down, signs of the season are appearing several weeks early.
The unusual weather is also affecting plants beyond trees. At Bodnant, gardeners have reported the possibility of a second flush of flowers after plants slowed during the summer heat. Some rhododendrons could even flower while nearby maples are changing colour.
Autumn traditions may be affected too. Drought-stressed horse chestnuts at Dyrham Park in South Gloucestershire have produced fewer, smaller conkers after dropping them prematurely.
Fruit harvests have also been mixed. Some orchards lost much of their crop during the summer, while others are expecting heavy apple yields. Pumpkins and squashes, meanwhile, have performed strongly at several National Trust gardens.
The coming weeks could therefore produce an autumn of sharp contrasts, with vivid colour in some places, bare branches in others and seasonal surprises appearing well beyond the usual calendar.
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