Miserable summer brings hope for a dazzling ‘drawn out’ show of colour
Autumn leaf displays could last longer than normal this year because of the wet spring and cool summer.
The National Trust said traditional autumnal displays were becoming less common because of the warming climate but, after a miserable summer, hopes remain for a dazzling display this year.
If temperatures drop slowly and conditions are calm, a “drawn out” display could be on the cards at the trust’s gardens, parklands and woodlands.
Trees are hanging on to their leaves for longer across the land cared for by the conservation charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it said.
Environmental factors affect when deciduous trees and shrubs start to turn colour and shed leaves in autumn, with sunny days and cool nights making for the most colourful displays.
One of the consequences of autumn taking longer to develop and trees holding on to their leaves for longer is the additional threat of damage from storms, such as that caused by felled trees on roads and paths.
The conservation charity said it is therefore watching the weather closely to see how autumn colour might unfold amid concerns about the impact of the frequent stormy conditions.
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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.
“We’ve seen a real mixed bag of conditions so far this yearparticularly 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.”
Luke Barley, the National Trust’s senior national consultant for trees and woodland, said: “In our management of both woods and ancient trees, we are worried about the impact of experiencing more storms when the trees are in leaf and catch the wind more, potentially causing more damage than these important habitats and trees can sustain.
“The past year has seen the most named storms since the naming system began in 2015, and the impact of this increase in severe weather events is unavoidable for National Trust foresters and woodland managers.
“The constant alternation between extreme waterlogging and drought in the soil stresses trees, and we see the signs of this effect on their rooting environment everywhere in reduced health in their crowns.”
Mr Barley added that storm damage in native woods is a “natural process” and can create “some of the chaotic, thrilling dynamism that much woodland wildlife needs to survive”.
Elsewhere this year, the conservation charity warned that weather conditions have proved troubling for traditional autumn vegetable harvests.
To mitigate the growing challenges, arborists at some National Trust estates, such as Chirk Castle near Wrexham, have been carrying out conservation pruning on vulnerable veteran and ancient trees to carefully reduce their crowns and make them less likely to fall or break in higher winds.
Other sites, such as the Oxburgh Estate in Norfolk, are further adapting their woodland planting to account for increasingly high winds and manage damage done to the trees.
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