AN AUTUMN quilt of colour is emerging at the Yorkshire Arboretum.

Nestled in a gentle valley at the heart of the Castle Howard estate, the 120 acre arboretum has more than 7,500 trees from around the world as well as sweeping vistas, lakes and peaceful glades.

With such a diverse collection of trees, the arboretum is one of the best places to view this spectacle of nature.

As the days grow shorter and the weather cools, the trees in the arboretum are fast turning shades of vibrant red, yellow and gold.

The ‘October Glory’ red maple contrasts with the golden hornbeams.

The silver maple’s blend of yellows, brown and reds is vivid against the green of unchanged leaves. In the Woodland Garden fuchsias and hydrangea continue to give a floral display, and elsewhere there are heavy crops of berries on many Sorbus trees.

Yorkshire Arboretum Director, John Grimshaw, said: “This year, after such an unusually hot summer which has caused stress to many trees, we await to see how the autumn colours reveal themselves, but as the season turns what we do know is that the trees in this unique collection will offer a truly breath-taking display.”

The Yorkshire Arboretum and Ray Wood are gardens of the Castle Howard Arboretum Trust, an independent charity established to maintain and protect these unique collections. Founded in 1997 as a partnership between the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Castle Howard.

In addition to the 120 acre garden of trees there’s a Visitor Centre with café offering delicious home-cooked seasonal food and drinks and a gift shop. The adjoining Peter Sowerby Building is home to The Tree Health Centre www.treehealthcentre.org

The arboretum’s annual event programme includes a wide range of family and outdoor activities, botanical and horticultural education, and arts and crafts workshops. Full details are available at www.yorkshirearboretum.org