Britain set for most beautiful autumn in years, predicts RHS

Britain is set for the most beautiful autumn in some years because of the heatwave, the RHS has predicted.

The cold snap followed by the weeks of hot weather created the optimal condition for spectacular, bright autumnal hues, with some trees sporting red and amber leaves three weeks early.

Plenty of sunshine encouraged high concentrations of colour pigments in leaves, which will help to intensify the burnished colours of autumn.

While the heatwave helped ready the leaves for a spectacular display, autumn colours will be particularly beautiful if we get cold nights, as that contributes to good leaf colour.

Because of the hot summer, trees will hang heavy with a glut of bright autumn fruit, which is also good news for wildlife.

Tim Upson, RHS Director of Horticulture, told The Telegraph that brightly-coloured magnolias have fruited well and that gardens have enjoyed a bumper crop of acorns. At their garden at Harlow Carr, the higher-than-usual summer temperature has seen the garden bring a lotus into flower for the first time ever, followed by a sudden dip in temperature this weekend that has triggered the turning of the leaves.

It is a brilliant year for fruit, Jonathan Webster, Curator at RHS Garden Rosemoor in North Devon, said, adding that they are “quite literally seeing the fruits of the hot summer as the likes of Sorbus (mountain ash), Callicarpa (beauty berry) and crabapple have the best fruit [he’s] seen in a long time.”

As well as brightly-coloured leaves and berries, autumnal bulb flowers like nerines and crocuses are out in their full glory, after benefitting from a good baking over the summer.

Russell Watkins, Floral Team Leader at Harlow Carr, said those working in the gardens have been excited by the brilliant autumn display so far.

He added: “Near the historic Bath House, the giant crimson glory vine - Vitis coignetiae - is beginning put on its annual show of fiery shades, cloaking the huge oak up which it has scrambled.

“This is a sight to behold across the garden due to its huge size. Elsewhere, many of the garden's acers are also on the turn, putting on a show of buttery yellows through to fiery orange and vibrant red, depending on the variety.

“Whilst all this is going on, the exotic bed below the entrance steps - filled with a host of delightful dahlias - will continue to put on its impressive display until the first hard frost signals it's time to get lifted.”