Branch out

COLOURFUL ARBORETUMS TO VISIT THIS AUTUMN, BY HANNAH STEPHENSON

- BY HANNAH STEPHENSON

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.

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.