The first day of autumn is just one week away and the garden is already beginning to transform into a comforting sea of rich reds, oranges and browns. Whilst the simple pleasures of autumn can be easily found in the crunch of leaves underfoot, or the fragrant smell of the garden after rainfall, we’ve put together a list of must-see highlights in the garden this autumn, some of which you may not have noticed before…

Autumn fruits

With their bright blue berries and red calyces, the fruits of the Harlequin glorybower will be creating a striking display of colour along the upper wall of the lawn over the coming months.

You should also look out for the charming orange fruits of the Chinese lantern. As autumn changes to winter, their orange fruits will transform into unusual papery translucent lantern encasing a red berry.

Sensory delights

Take a moment to stop and enjoy the sweet smell of the fragrant olive, often at its best just after a rain shower.

Deciduous trees

Nothing symbolises autumn better than the fiery red and orange leaves of the Nyssa Sylvatica in late October and early November. Warm your hands with a cup of tea on the terrace as you sit and admire this vibrant tree in all its autumn glory.

Down by the sandstone rock garden, the Japanese maples are also putting on a seasonal display. With different varieties growing alongside one another, you can see the full spectrum of autumnal colours, from bright reds to deep browns. 

Once believed to have been extinct for 20 million years, the Dawn redwoods growing alongside the stream lawn tell a truly fascinating story. As one of the few deciduous conifers, they become even more captivating in autumn, when their foliage begins to brown and gently rain down from above.

Fungi

The damp and mild conditions of autumn create the perfect breeding ground for a wide array of weird and wonderful fungi. You may need to look a little harder for these autumnal delights, as you can find them growing anywhere from damp and dark patches of soil to the beams of wooden structures like the pergola.

What wonderful autumn delights can be found in your garden? Don’t forget to attend our garden tour in October, to explore the very best of our autumn garden.