Autumn is nature at her most beguiling: the
dazzling transformation of a green and pleasant land into a riot
of blazing oranges and burnt reds. In the United States, the autumnal transition of leaves into a fusion of clarets and
gold's has long been a national obsession, with millions of
foliage fans fuelling an industry worth billions of dollars. Now
'leaf peeping' is set to sweep Britain.
As the weather gets colder Bedgebury
Pinetum in the garden of England is gearing up to another busy
season as one of Kent’s most beautiful and spectacular visitor
attractions at this time of year.
WHY DO LEAVES TURN GOLD?
... and bronze, brilliant orange, red, crimson and more. These
glorious colours are the result of chemical reactions that occur
as the leaves die during the autumn. In spring and summer,
leaves produce food for the tree, converting nutrients and
minerals into sugars and starches for growth.
Enjoyed by over 150,000 visitors a year the Pinetum is the
perfect place to see the dazzling display of reds and yellows
provided by the American Sweet Gum and the Dawn Redwoods which
surrounds Marshall’s lake and many other tree species which make
up Bedgebury Pinetum’s 300 acre collection. Bedgebury is famous
around the world for its collection of over 10,000 conifers,
many of which are rare and endangered.
WILL THERE BE A DRAMATIC DISPLAY THIS
YEAR?
The colours are governed by a complex mix of factors, from soil
type to sunlight, moisture and wind conditions - so, for
example, storms during September and October could rip away the
leaves and curtail the show.
The Tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera,
native to North America, is an interesting species and a member
of the magnolia family. Its foliage turns butter yellow in
autumn and is in striking contrast to the evergreen foliage of
the conifers.
If you hunt around you might see
Metasequoia “Gold Rush” a recent cultivar of the Dawn Redwood
that has golden yellow foliage and has the same autumn colour as
the species’. Whatever the weather brings this autumn Bedgebury
National Pinetum is a must see show for all the family.
SEASONAL TRAILS AT BEDGEBURY NATIONAL PINETUM
Autumn Trail
As the weather gets colder the Forestry Commission’s Bedgebury
National Pinetum in the garden of England is gearing up to
another busy season as one of Kent’s most beautiful and
spectacular visitor attractions. To ensure visitors see the best
at this time of year a new autumn trail leaflet is now available
from the visitor centre and available to download on this site
below.
The autumn trail leaflet will take visitors on a journey of
discovery to see and learn about the most interesting trees
growing in the Pinetum and to some of the best places to
appreciate the autumn colour on show.
The one mile trail will take visitors past some of Bedgebury’s
most amazing trees including the fascinating Japanese umbrella
pine with needles like the spokes in an umbrella, the Fitzroya
tree which lives for up to 3600 years, and the bright yellow
fruits of the Yew Trees. You can marvel at the best show
stoppers at this time of year, the deciduous Swamp Cypresses and
Dawn Redwoods that surround Marshal’s Lake. These specimens
from, respectively, south east USA and China turn a rich russet
red before losing their needles in winter.
As the trail path climbs back towards the car park, you will see
a bank full of colourful trees and, if you are close enough,
smell the Katsura tree which fills the air with the smell of
Candy Floss as the leaves fall. A winter trail will be revealed
in December.
