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Autumn Colour Around Christ Church

Written by John James, posted on Thursday, October 20, 2022

Despite (or maybe it’s because of) the hot, dry weather experienced this summer, the autumn colours currently being seen around the college are quite spectacular.

Plant leaves tend to change colour as daylength decreases and temperatures start to drop, the green food making chlorophyll in the leaves stops being made by the plant, revealing the other chemicals such as yellow flavonoids, orange carotenoids and red anthocyanins. These chemicals which are normally masked by the green chlorophyll are responsible for things like UV filtration, nitrogen fixation, and floral pigmentation. But autumn isn’t all about leaf colours, there are plenty of fruit and flowers around too.

Submitted by markhook on Tue, 2022-10-18 15:10
Click the images to enlarge
Pin Oak, Quercus palustris, one of the new trees planted near the Jubilee Bridge.
Leaf detail of Pin Oak, Quercus palustris, one of the new trees planted near the Jubilee Bridge.
Leaf detail Red Oak, Quercus rubra in the Meadow.
Leaf detail Red Oak, Quercus rubra in the Meadow.
Red Oak, Quercus rubra in the Meadow.
Leaf detail Witch Hazel in the Pococke Garden.
Witch Hazel in the Pococke Garden.
Amelanchier lamrckii, Snowy Mespilus in the Cemetary.
Leaf detail Amelanchier lamrckii, Snowy Mespilus in the Cemetary.
Zelkova serrata, or Keaki, a Japanese tree near the Jubilee Bridge.
Leaf detail Persian Ironwood Tree – Parrotia persica.
Persian Ironwood Tree – Parrotia persica.
Leaf detail Persian Ironwood Tree – Parrotia persica.
Virginia Creeper on the Meadow Building.
Leaf detail Virginia Creeper on the Meadow Building.
Newly planted Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’ in the Cathedral Garden, one of the best small maples for autumn colour.
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis) in the Cathedral Garden clearly showing the appearance of different pigments in the leaf.
Leaf detail Broadleaf Cockspur Thorn on the lawn outside Meadow Building.
Broadleaf Cockspur Thorn on the lawn outside Meadow Building.
The best cherry for autumn colour, Prunus sargentii, between two of the boat houses on Boat House Island
Leaf detail The best cherry for autumn colour, Prunus sargentii, between two of the boat houses on Boat House Island
The Tulip Tree, Liriodendron tulipifera, is native to the United States and reliably colours up to a golden yellow.
Leaf detail The Tulip Tree, Liriodendron tulipifera, is native to the United States and reliably colours up to a golden yellow.
Japanese Maple overhanging the Trill Mill stream in the Memorial Garden.
The hips of the Wild Dog Rose around the work compound.
Edible (if unpalatable!) fruits on the Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo) in the Masters Garden.
Sorbus sargentiana (Sargent’s Rowan)
S.cashmiriana (Kashmir Rowan).
Pomegranate in the Cathedral Garden.
Passion Fruit in the Cathedral Garden.
True Quince (Cydonia oblonga) from the Deanery and various crab apples from around the gardens.
The distinctive purple berries of Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii 'Profusion', the Beauty Berry, remain largely untouched by birds for months.
This bright blue seed pod of Decaisnea fargesii, the Blue Bean Shrub (or Dead Men’s Fingers), is a first for us this year.
We only have a very few Sternbergia lutea, the Winter Daffodil, so we are planning to add to them under the Pococke Tree.
Nerines bowdenii varieties originate from South Africa and come in a range of pink shades.
White and pink forms of Cyclamen hederifolium can be spotted in various gardens around the college.
White and pink forms of Cyclamen hederifolium can be spotted in various gardens around the college.
Autumn flowering Crocus sativus in the grass under the Pococke Tree is the source of saffron, the world’s most expensive spice per gram.
Autumn flowering Crocus sativus in the grass under the Pococke Tree is the source of saffron, the world’s most expensive spice per gram.
Love it, or loath it, the scent of Clerodendron bungei is very distinctive.
Love it, or loath it, the scent of Clerodendron bungei is very distinctive.
Fuchsia paniculata and Salvia leucantha ‘Purple Velvet’ both come into flower very late, will they make it before they get hit by a frost?
Fuchsia paniculata and Salvia leucantha ‘Purple Velvet’ both come into flower very late, will they make it before they get hit by a frost?
Michelmas Daisies of varying shades are a stalwart of traditional herbaceous borders such as the one in the Masters Garden.
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