Post on 10-Mar-2018
An autumn colour walk Take a walk through an incredible landscape of orange and gold
this autumn. Jump in crunchy leaves, discover shiny conkers and
enjoy invigorating fresh air with all the family. Explore ‘Capability’
Brown’s parkland at Croome, where you'll discover a landscape
steeped in history and rich colours.
1. From the Visitor Centre, go past the shop and the shuttle
stop, through the gate and turn left into the Wilderness Walk.
On the left you will see a smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria)(A),
continue along the path towards the Church.
2. As you leave the Wilderness Walk to enter the main parkland
on your right is a beech tree (Fagus sylvatica)(B). Follow the
path past the entrance to the Church and turn left through the
gate into the Church Shrubbery.
3. Follow the path, passing near the Ice house and the Bird
Hide off to your left and cross the tarmac road into the Home
Shrubbery. Heading towards the Rotunda, on the left you will
see a very old example of mulberry (Morus nigra)(C). Continue
to the Rotunda and then turn right continuing down through
the Home Shrubbery.
4. On your right as you walk through the Home Shrubbery you
will see oriental plane trees (Platanus orientalis)(D) and a
maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba)(E). On the left, just before the
gate into the parkland, you will see a swamp cypress
(Taxodium distichum)(F). These are all mentioned in the Hortus
Croomensis, the 1824 guide book to Croome.
5. Go through the gate and turn right following the path past
the Court and head for the Chinese Bridge.
6. Cross over the bridge and here you will find two fine
examples of london plane trees (Platanus x hispanica)(G) which
Brown loved to plant near water.
7. Turn right and follow the path alongside the ‘river’. Go
through the gate into the lakeside and turn left following the
path towards the white bridge over to the island. On the right
you will see another stunning but much younger example of a
swamp cypress (H).
8. Cross the first bridge onto the island where you will see a
large horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)(I). (A good
place to look for conkers) Cross the second bridge and follow
the path leading you towards the Grotto.
9. Just before the Grotto, on the left, you will see a lime tree
(Tilia cordata)(J). Continue to follow the path round the
lakeside and turn left under the Dry Arch Bridge. Above you
will see examples of holly (Ilex aquifolium)(K) with its bright red
berries.
10. Follow the path where, on the left, you will see another
example of the maidenhair tree (L). Continue past the Temple
Greenhouse into the Evergreen Shrubbery where you will see
examples of privet (Ligustrum vulgare)(M).
11. Continue along the path to the Church and then go through
the gate returning to the Visitor Centre through the
Wilderness Walk.
Follow the steps
A. Smoke bush, native to a large area from southern Europe
to northern China. The leaves are 3-8 cm long rounded ovals,
green with a waxy glaucous sheen. The autumn colour can be
strikingly varied, from peach and yellow to scarlet.
B. Beech tree, the leaves of beech are often not shed in the
autumn and instead remain on the tree until the spring. This
process is called marcescence and provides continual colour
through autumn and winter.
C. Mulberries are medium sized trees that naturally grow in a
bush form. In the spring and summer the foliage positively
glows, whilst in the autumn and winter the stark gnarled
framework of branches looks simply stunning.
D. Oriental Plane tree with a highly dissected leaf. Originally
from Asia Minor and India, the Oriental plane has long been
planted as a shade tree owing to its widely spreading
branches. In autumn they turn yellow and brown before
falling. As the tree matures the bark forms a patchwork effect
by flaking off in sections in the same way that London Plane
does.
E & L. Maidenhair tree is one of the most beautiful deciduous
trees. This species evolved over 200 million years ago. Male
trees are preferable for ornamental use because of the smell
the female seeds exude. Brilliant autumn colour is one of the
many attributes of this tree. The shape of a ginkgo leaf, with
its scalloped outer margin, is similar to those of maidenhair
ferns, hence the common name of maidenhair tree.
F & H. Swamp Cypress most famously associated with the
mangrove swamps of the Everglades, is one of the few
deciduous conifers found growing in Britain. In autumn, its
fine, feathery needles are shed just after they produce a
stunning display of seasonal red foliage.
G. London Plane trees are vigorous, large deciduous trees of
stately appearance, with maple-like foliage and beautiful
flaking grey and cream bark. The leaves turn a rich orange-
yellow before falling in autumn.
I. Horse Chestnut trees are a common sight but not actually
native to Britain. It arrived in the sixteenth century and was
grown, initially, as a specimen tree. Only later did it begin the
process of naturalisation, probably as a result of extensive
planting by landscape designers like ‘Capability’ Brown and
Sir Christopher Wren.
J. The Lime tree is a medium-sized deciduous tree with a
spreading or rounded crown, and glossy dark green, heart-
shaped leaves to 8cm in length, turning yellow in autumn.
K. Common Holly, everyone is familiar with our common
holly, with its glossy evergreen leaves and red berries in the
autumn.
M. Privet, the fruit is a small glossy black berry 6–8mm
diameter, containing one to four seeds. The berries are
poisonous to humans but readily eaten by thrushes, which
disperse the seeds in their droppings.
Plant Descriptions
A
B
C
D E
F
G
H
I
J K
L
M
A.
Sm
oke
bu
sh (
coti
nu
s co
ggyg
ria)
B.
Bee
ch t
ree
(fa
gu
s sy
lvat
ica)
C.
Mu
lber
ry (
mo
rus
nig
ra)
D.
Ori
enta
l pla
ne
tree
s (
pla
tan
us
ori
enta
lis)
E.
Mai
den
hai
r tr
ee (
gin
kgo
bal
bo
a)
F.
Sw
amp
Cyp
ress
(ta
xod
ium
dis
tich
um
)
G.
Lo
nd
on
pla
ne
tree
(p
lata
nu
s x
his
pan
ica)
H.
Sw
amp
Cyp
ress
(ta
xod
ium
dis
tich
um
)
Au
tum
n C
olo
ur
Wal
k at
Cro
om
e