Hopes high for a dazzling colour display at National Trust's Sheffield Park and Garden

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Autumn colour season is about to begin at the National Trust's Sheffield Park and Garden and there's no need to prebook this year. Sheffield Park and Garden glows with brilliant displays of reds, oranges, purples and greens, from mid October to early November. With October underway, National Trust gardeners across Sussex are preparing for a "mixed bag" of autumnal weather across its gardens, parklands and woodlands. Hopes however remain high for a dazzling colour display as trees have been able to hang on to their leaves for longer.

National Trust garden experts are hoping for a drawn-out autumn colour display as trees hold onto their leaves thanks to wet spring and a cool summer. Despite mixed weather, there is plenty to admire with acers, maples and liquidambers already on the turn.

Future proofing projects are being carried out at several National Trust gardens, including Sheffield Park and Garden in Sussex, seeking to protect collections from weather extremes and safeguard iconic autumn colour for years to come.

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Now, after an unsettled start to the season, the conservation charity is watching the weather closely to see how autumn colour might unfold and which seasonal delights visitors can look forward to. As weather extremes become more commonplace, many National Trust gardens, such as Sheffield Park and Garden, with its prized collection of champion trees, are also busy future proofing collections to ensure many future years of autumn colour.

Sheffield Park and GardenSheffield Park and Garden
Sheffield Park and Garden

Jodie Hilton, National Trust Head Gardener at Sheffield Park and Garden in East Sussex said: “We are seeing the seasons shifting later and plants being put under more stress, which makes autumn colour less easy to predict. To monitor this at Sheffield Park, we’ve installed data collectors across the garden to understand our microclimates and help inform future decisions around planting and experimentation.

“We have had our tree and shrub collection climate mapped, which means we can start to understand the survival potential of our species over the next 50 to 100 years. The interventions we are making now such as thinning and soil improvement will hopefully ensure the longevity of our stunning garden for years to come.

If the weather continues to be bright and dry in the day with cooler evening temperatures, we can expect a vibrant showdown of autumn colour, as the trees and shrubs keep the sugars in their leaves to be converted to pigments rather than proteins. The Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) sets off our visitor entrance with its bright golden leaflets, flanked by Japanese maples and a champion Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica). Another highlight is the Nyssa sylvatica ‘Sheffield Park’ which is an Arthur Soames selection, identified as our own cultivar, thanks to it colouring for Autumn two weeks earlier than others.’”

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Pamela Smith, Senior National Consultant for Gardens and Parklands at the National Trust said: “As the predictability of weather patterns continues to alter due to a changing climate, the timings of a traditional autumn with its colourful canopy displays become less certain.

Early autumn scene at Sheffield Park and GardenEarly autumn scene at Sheffield Park and Garden
Early autumn scene at Sheffield Park and Garden

“We’ve seen a real mixed bag of conditions so far this year – particularly the soggy start, but if we see a gradual drop in temperature along with more settled weather, we could expect to see a drawn-out display. However, if we get sharp, hard, frosts or see further wet weather with storms, heavy rain and wind roll across the UK, that may cut any extended show short.”

Triggered by falling temperatures and changes in day length, deciduous trees and shrubs start to shed their leaves in autumn ready for the winter ahead. The variety of colour they turn before dropping is revealed by the disappearance of chlorophyll, the green pigment in leaves, and environmental factors including sun, temperature and moisture levels. Sunny days and cool nights make for the most impactful and colourful displays.

Pamela Smith continues: “No matter how this season unfolds, we are already seeing signs that things are getting underway around the country, whether that’s in a city, town or in the countryside.

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“Look out for crimson creepers that coat garden fences, bright red berries appearing on hawthorn hedges and the leaves on tree lined streets falling to create their beautiful multi-hued carpets. The spectacle of nature in autumn can be enjoyed wherever you are.”

Fallen leaves at Sheffield Park and GardenFallen leaves at Sheffield Park and Garden
Fallen leaves at Sheffield Park and Garden

Despite the mixed weather, there is still plenty to admire this autumn. Birch, beech and lime trees in parklands, woodlands and estates cared for by the conservation charity are slowly starting to feature a sprinkling of gold and yellowing leaves.

To plan your visit to see autumn colour at a National Trust place near you go to: nationaltrust.org.uk/sussex

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