By the meteorologist calender Autumn started 1st September but we gardeners tend to think of Autumn as starting later in the year, perhaps early October onwards. However we date it, the season of Autumn in so far as it is marked by the turning of leaves is definitely early this year.

This early onset of Autumn was noticed by the head gardener  at Churchill College at Cambridge University where the Boston Ivy started changing into Autumn colour about a month early.

Here on the ground, digital cameras come in so helpful. The image above is of the Beech Hedge starting to change colour and was taken 17.10.2016 . Looking out the window today, only 09.09.2017 and the hedge is changing colour. Autumn is a lovely season and there is so much fantastic colour, but it is sad to see summer slip away so early. The consolation is those lovely Autumn walks to enjoy.