On Monday, 19th of October a bus load of Stewartry U3A members travelled to Dawyck Gardens to enjoy all the gardens and the lovely autumn weather could offer.
Dawyck, a regional garden of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, is a world famous arboretum with over 300 years of tree planting. In Autumn the garden foliage bursts into vivid hues of red, orange and gold and the fruit take on an almost infinite variety of shapes, colours and textures from acorns in cups and colourful crab apples to maple keys and fir cones.
Everyone’s favourites among autumn fruits are the conkers produced by the Garden’s horse chestnut trees. Overhanging Scrape Glen is a large Japanese katsura tree which in early autumn fills the air with a caramel scent as its leaves turn a pale biscuit colour.
As autumn advances the Japanese maples and spindles stand out with their colourful foliage. Birch trees can be found on the grassy plateau to the south of the Chapel and one of the best for autumn colour is the yellow birch from North America.