Westonbirt Arboretum

Some years ago we took D3 to be a bridesmaid at a wedding held at Westonbirt (Gloucestershire) Surrounded by trees of every variety known to man -this is the National Arboretum- I was entranced.

The acers (Japanese Maples) were pretty and manifold.

I kept reiterating that I would like to return in the autumn as I knew the colours would be glorious- but when exactly to pinpoint the best time? Particularly when the south was due to be hit by the 'St Judas' storm- which in fact missed us & the arboretum....

With so many other things going on is our lives, we combined a visit to another friend who shares the wish for the forest's seasonal colours, with both a trip to Wales and the Arboretum.

The photos which you can click on to enlarge- do not show the colours as brightly as I would like- the glades of multi coloured acers took my breath away.

Rumour hath it that England's autumn colours are better than the Fall in New England this year- due to our sunny Summer; certainly the change in colour has been late this year, or so everyone thinks.
But now the temperature has certainly dropped; I have even given in and put the autumn duvet on so the nights must be getting chillier; Durham had its first snow fall while we were down in the South West.