11 top arboretums to visit this autumn

As the leaves change their colours to soft yellows, burnt oranges and burgundy reds, it’s time to get a true fix of autumn with a visit to an arboretum with the family or just to take some time out for yourself.

“The plentiful sunshine we had this summer will have helped set the stage for some dazzling colours this autumn,” RHS chief horticulturist Guy Barter enthuses.

If you visit any of these stunning arboretums, you should enjoy a riot of autumnal tree colour.

1. Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury, Gloucestershire

The National Arboretum, world-renowned for its autumn colour, home to five national collections and managed by Forestry England, is host to more than 15,000 trees and 2,500 different types of tree and shrub species within its 600 acres, and guarantees a kaleidoscope of colour every autumn.

Choose one of Westonbirt’s daily guided walks and be sure to discover the arboretum’s hidden autumn secrets, or take part in a plethora of activities up to November, including autumn trails and guided walks, an autumn coppice market and a stunning outdoor exhibition of botanical illustrations on The Downs in celebration of their sister site, Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest’s centenary.

2. Stone Lane Gardens, Chagford, Devon

This spectacular five-acre woodland and water garden on the edge of Dartmoor National Park is also home to a National Collection of birch and alder trees. Many of the birch trees produce wonderful yellow and orange leaf colours in autumn, while the low sun creates wonderful effects, backlighting the peeling bark beautifully. This is also the time that a lot of fungi start to fruit, so colourful toadstools start to pop up among the fallen leaves.

3. Dyffryn Gardens, nr Cardiff, Wales

Featuring trees from all over the world, see acers showing off their reddish and gold hues, discover the scent of toffee apples from the katsura trees as their leaves fall and start to decay, and look out for fungi popping up in the shady, damp spots between the trees.

This year at Dyffryn, ‘Fall into Autumn’, a specially curated celebration of events and installations designed to help visitors celebrate the season, will run throughout autumn to November 16. Find gourd and dried flower displays, bespoke sculptures dotted throughout the gardens and the return of last year’s popular sensory reflection trial, where listeners will be guided through the exploration of nature through vision, hearing, touch and smell.

Also new is an audio tour of the gardens and arboretum recorded by Dyffryn’s head gardener and head arborist, Chris Flynn.

4. Queenswood Country Park & Arboretum, Leominster, Herefordshire

As Herefordshire Wildlife Trust’s most-visited nature reserve, Queenswood covers over 170 acres of woodland and offers a scenic autumn experience. The 47-acre arboretum is well-known for its autumn display, with trees turning vibrant shades of red, gold, and burgundy in November.

The Autumn Garden is a highlight, featuring Japanese maples, rowans, tupelos, and liquidamber trees. Other areas to explore include the Redwood Grove, which is especially striking in the autumn light, the orchard with its ripening fruits, and the Commemorative Woodland, which offers a peaceful spot among falling leaves.

5. Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire

This arboretum in the North Cotswolds is one of a number of which are RHS partner gardens offering a vast collection of trees and shrubs – including fiery red Japanese maples and mountain ash which produce beautiful berries – all set in 60 acres of wild gardens with spectacular views across the Evenlode Valley.

6. Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery, Ashby de la Zouch, South Derbyshire

Established in 1992, this nine-acre arboretum surrounding the nursery holds a fine collection of unusual trees and shrubs.

“Although most of the large trees are still young, many of the shrubs and smaller trees already display their full beauty in form and habit, making the arboretum a scenic woodland walk with rare plant treasures on display that will please true enthusiasts,” says Barter.

7. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

With 11,000 trees from across the world, Kew Gardens boasts the largest arboretum in the UK. 2,700 of these are oaks, and many offer an impressive display of autumn colour and acorns. Kew’s sawtooth oak has acorns that sit in frilly cups, whilst the red oak, Quercus roba, puts on a flashy show of crimson along the Riverside Walk. Also look out for the beautiful russet-leaved pin oaks (Q. palustris) near the Treetop Walkway.

8. Blarney Castle & Gardens, Co. Cork, Ireland

Some 60 acres surrounding the historic Blarney Castle, famed for its stone and the old tradition that it will confer eloquence on those who kiss it, are a joy to explore, including its woodlands, lake, ancient yews and other exceptional specimen trees. Many of the rare trees, including the tree of heaven and the foxglove tree were planted in the 1970s and 1980s, but a good amount of limes, cedars and chestnuts are much older and the most photographed is the gigantic western red cedar.

9. Lynford Arboretum, Norfolk

Bird lovers should flock to this peaceful wooded area to spot a tremendous variety of birds, along with over 200 species of trees, including a double rowed set of giant redwoods in a spot called Sequoia Avenue, planted in the 1800s to honour the Duke of Wellington and at one time featured alternate red flowering chestnut trees.

10. Thorp Perrow Arboretum, Bedale, north Yorkshire

Home to five National Plant Collections and a superb array of trees from all over the world, Thorp Perrow also has other attractions for the whole family, including bird of prey displays, a mammal centre, seasonal trails, guided tours and workshops.

Created by Col Sir Leonard Ropner (1895-1977), his son, Sir John Ropner (1937-2016) and wife, Niki, went on to develop the arboretum you see today, which covers 100 acres and is currently home to 51 Champion Trees and some of the largest and rarest trees and shrubs in England.

11. Kilmun Arboretum, near Dunoon, Argyll

More than 150 tree species adorn this hillside arboretum, part of Argyll Forest Park, including ornamental maples, Japanese cedars and Himalayan spruces. Since the 1930s, hundreds of species have been planted here and there are a number of walking trails where you will encounter redwoods and sequoias from California and monkey puzzles from South America, as well as great views over Holy Loch and the mountains of Cowal.