Falling for Autumn

Bit by bit the forest is colouring up.

FLORA AND FAUNA AND THE FOREST WORLDSEASONS

10/23/20242 min read

"If you wanna see fall colours, head to New England. " That's what our transatlantic friends will tell us. And for sure , the colours that one can see there, from Maine to Conneticut , are pretty spectacular. But we really don't need to travel so far to enjoy a magnificent autumn. In England, we used to enjoy the beautiful colours at Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire, where the acers turn a glorious red. Now that we live in a forest in France we know that we have a different kind of treat in store. But please be patient, for things here happen at a slower pace. "Petit à petit," as our French neighbours might say.

Colouring Up
Colouring Up

"But..." you might well ask, "...don't you live in a pine forest? Surely everything will remain green?" Well, yes, and no. For amongst the commercially planted pines there are pockets of deciduous trees, and it is largely by their colours in autumn that we know them. But as I said, things start gently. It is late October now, a time when the colours elsewhere may have reached their peak. But here in the Languedoc the forest just seems to be developing a faint blush.

Gently turning colour
Gently turning colour

The first trees to turn are the horse chestnut, followed by the ash, beech and acer. The green forest is now dappled with red, yellow, tan and gold .

The beech
The beech
Dogwood
Dogwood

Search in the undergrowth, and you will see that the dogwood is turning a deep dark red.

Around the house and garden things are beginning to turn too, like the Virginia creeper which runs across our walls, and the miniature acer that we recently planted.

Virginia Creeper
Virginia Creeper
Our miniature Acer tree
Our miniature Acer tree

But if I am honest, autumn hasn't truly arrived yet. That is because the predominant tree around us here is the deciduous oak, which is still very green. Its colours will start to turn very very slowly. But when complete, I warrant our forest will be every bit as beautiful as New England in 'The Fall.'

The forest is still predominantly green.
The forest is still predominantly green.

Watch this space!