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