Towards the end of autumn

A blaze of rich autumn colour on Acer palmatum 'Coonara Pygmy' - an excellent compact form of the Japanese Maple.




Tree team member Sean Lewis flail collecting. This is done each year towards the end of autumn to encourage the growth of wild flowers.




Bedgebury Pinetum is the holder of the NCCCPG Yew Collection. This tree (Taxus baccata 'Fructo Lutea') is the golden-fruited form of our native yew.




Pedro Leo Lobos, curator of the National Seed Bank in Chile, standing alongside a young Fitzroya cupressoides (Alerce). Pedro was in charge of our expedition to Chile, so it was great to be able to show him some of the conservation work we undertake at Bedgebury.




Autumn colour in Dallimore Valley





Male cones on the Deodar (Cedrus deodara) releasing the pollen that will fertilise next year's cones.





A good crop of holly berries. These will provide a valuable food source for many of Bedgebury's feathered friends over the winter months.





A fantastic range of colours produced by the leaves of the Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) which is often confused with the maple tree. It differes in having corky bark and the branches are alternate rather than opposite. Also, unlike maples, it doesn't have winged fruits.





A lovely specimen of the Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in full autumn colour in Dallimore Valley (just down from the Wellingtonias).





The golden yellow Ginkgo leaves are looking amazing at the moment. The Ginkgo originates in China, but we don't know whether it still occurs in the wild. On our trip to China in 2008 we saw some fantastic specimens planted in the grounds of monestaries. It is one of the most pollution-tolerant trees, commonly planted as a street tree around the world. These are almost always male trees, however, as the fruits on the female trees smell absolutely disgusting!!! Ginkgo can grow to a massive size, but there are now dwarf and slow-growing varieties ideal for the garden.




One of the young Ginkgos growing in Dallimore Valley. The largest specimens we have are growing in the area between the dwarf conifer collection and the Glory Hole.



Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) flowers in winter.