Pine Cones

Autumn is also a good time to look out for cones, across the Pinetum you can find them in varying shapes and sizes ranging from tiny cones the size of a penny on Larix laracina to some of the more impressive Pine cones like those of Pinus armandii (top) and Pinus x holfordiana (middle) both of these trees are absolutely covered with cones at the moment, the best place to see these are on the bank opposite the visitor centre (L6). Slightly smaller but just as interesting are the cones on Picea obovata down in Dallimore Valley (H9).

Autumn Leaves

The deciduous trees are still putting on a wonderful show some of this weeks best top to bottom are Fothergilla major (map location G9), Liquidambar styraciflua (the best ones are in H9) and Acer japonicum 'Vitifolium' (I13)

Autumn Views

The view down across Dallimore Valley

This week has seen some of the best weather we have had since early summer. The Pinetum is looking stunning in the unexpected sunshine the autumn colour is holding well. The top photo is Betula lenta the Cherry Birch from E USA this tree was planted in 2006 this tree can be seen on the bank over the lake from the visitor centre. The middle photo is of Rhus trichocarpa with its fantastic deep orangey red autumn colour, it makes a fantastic small shrubby tree unfortunately the sap can be irritant to some people so look but dont touch! See F10 It is a native of eastern Asia, this plant was collected from the wilds of Japan. The bottom picture is the leaf of Acer rubrum the Red or Canadian Maple this beautiful colouring maple is from the eastern USA and eventually makes a large tree for the smaller garden a better option would be one of the Japanese maples. The best examples are in I12

The Katsura Tree

Some of the best autumn displays have already begun, the Katsura Tree Cercidiphyllum japonicum is looking stunning at the moment its beautiful heart shaped leaves turn different shades of yellow, orange, red and purple. On top of this the leaves as they fall on to the ground give off a wonderful smell of candy floss. In the UK it is a small to medium sized bushy tree but in its natural habit in China and Japan it can reach over 45m! That is nearly as tall as the Old Man of Kent. The best examples in the Pinetum are in grids (click of the Bedgebury Pinetum map at the top of the page) G8 below the Leyland hedge and in K5 on the bank opposite the visitor centre.