"Fall Foliage" in Europe?

In many parts of the US they have a spectacular "fall foliage" from
about late September to early November. The leaves of the trees turn
brilliant colors. When whole forest turn color the look is amazing.
There is a whole travel industry dedicated to foliage tours. How does
it compare to Western Europe from Nordic Europe down to Italy? Are
there good colors? When approximately does the peak color occur?

wrote:

In many parts of the US they have a spectacular "fall foliage" from
about late September to early November. The leaves of the trees turn
brilliant colors. When whole forest turn color the look is amazing.
There is a whole travel industry dedicated to foliage tours. How does
it compare to Western Europe from Nordic Europe down to Italy? Are
there good colors? When approximately does the peak color occur?

"From Nordic Europe to Italy" is about the same as "from Alaska to
Florida". Vermont isn't everywhere, and in Europe, it's absolutely the
same.

I love the German low-mountain regions with their mixed forests at that
time of the year, like Spessart, Odenwald, Hunsrueck or some parts of
the Black Forest.

Looking out of my window here in the Munich suburbs, I currently can
admire the phantastic red of the Virginia Creeper covering my
neighbour's house and staghorn sumac in my garden that is just getting
very colorful.

The many maple trees around here had to fight heavily with mildew this
summer, so they tend to get more brown than colorful this year.

Jens

Jens Arne Maennig wrote:

wrote:

In many parts of the US they have a spectacular "fall foliage" from
about late September to early November. The leaves of the trees turn
brilliant colors. When whole forest turn color the look is amazing.
There is a whole travel industry dedicated to foliage tours. How does
it compare to Western Europe from Nordic Europe down to Italy? Are
there good colors? When approximately does the peak color occur?

"From Nordic Europe to Italy" is about the same as "from Alaska to
Florida". Vermont isn't everywhere, and in Europe, it's absolutely the
same.


As far I understand the European fall foilage is more gradual affair
taking place over a longer period of time. Still beatifull, but
perhaps not as spectacular.

Kristian

Following up to

How does
it compare to Western Europe from Nordic Europe down to Italy? Are
there good colors? When approximately does the peak color occur?

Maples are one of the best trees for autumn colour and are very
common in parts of America noted for autumn colour, I believe one
north American country makes a flag feature of it. There are
plenty of UK trees that colour well (cherries for instance and of
course UK maples) and the time to see them is soon after the
first frost, usually October. It would not be worth traveling
from US to do so however, as you have a good display at home. (I
suspect Scandinavia has too high proportion of non deciduous
trees to score highly).
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap
Photos of both "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

"The Reids" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
Following up to

How does
it compare to Western Europe from Nordic Europe down to Italy? Are
there good colors? When approximately does the peak color occur?

Maples are one of the best trees for autumn colour and are very
common in parts of America noted for autumn colour, I believe one
north American country makes a flag feature of it. There are
plenty of UK trees that colour well (cherries for instance and of
course UK maples) and the time to see them is soon after the
first frost, usually October. It would not be worth traveling
from US to do so however, as you have a good display at home. (I
suspect Scandinavia has too high proportion of non deciduous
trees to score highly).
I agree. It is probably not worth the travel. But if you are there, a stroll
in the forest in autumn is always a pleasure. Near Paris, Fontainebleau and
Rambouillet are near large forests, a car is needed. With public transport,
you can try Saint-Germain en Laye. Suburban train RER A (30mn from Paris
Center) station is at the castle entrance and just at a 5 mn walk from the
forest.
http://www.ville-st-germain-en-laye.fr/en/index.html

Some pictures of what autumn could look like in France by mid-october.
http://cricouphotos.free.fr/index.html
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a
spamtrap
Photos of both "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 11:14:30 +0100, The Reids
wrote:

Following up to

How does
it compare to Western Europe from Nordic Europe down to Italy? Are
there good colors? When approximately does the peak color occur?

Maples are one of the best trees for autumn colour and are very
common in parts of America noted for autumn colour, I believe one
north American country makes a flag feature of it. There are
plenty of UK trees that colour well (cherries for instance and of
course UK maples) and the time to see them is soon after the
first frost, usually October. It would not be worth traveling
from US to do so however, as you have a good display at home. (I
suspect Scandinavia has too high proportion of non deciduous
trees to score highly).

There are a couple of good places to see in my area. The Forest of
Dean can be beautiful on a sunny Autumn day, and the Westonbirt
Arboretum near Tetbury in Gloucestershire has a collection of Japanese
maples that are exquisite with their reds and golds.

Worth seeing if you happen to be in the area, but not to make a
special journey.

Some nice pictures:
http://www.tonyhowell.co.uk/westonbirtarboretum.htm

http://www.lastrefuge.co.uk/images/h...aerials119.jpg


Keith, Bristol, UK

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In many parts of the US they have a spectacular "fall foliage" from
about late September to early November. The leaves of the trees turn
brilliant colors. When whole forest turn color the look is amazing.
There is a whole travel industry dedicated to foliage tours. How does
it compare to Western Europe from Nordic Europe down to Italy? Are
there good colors? When approximately does the peak color occur?


North Wales is the best place in Europe for Autumn foliage IMO.
Late October is good - but it does depend on the weather.

It doesn't.

There isn't the expanse of forests because a much greater spread of
land has been cultivated for centuries, and I seem to remember reading
that there's something special about the trees and/or the ecology of
the New England forests that encourages spectacular colour.

This is not to say that you won't get beautiful autumn colours in
Europe, but just not so much in any one place and not so brilliant.

P

On 27 Sep 2005 18:02:00 -0700, wrote:

In many parts of the US they have a spectacular "fall foliage" from
about late September to early November. The leaves of the trees turn
brilliant colors. When whole forest turn color the look is amazing.
There is a whole travel industry dedicated to foliage tours. How does
it compare to Western Europe from Nordic Europe down to Italy? Are
there good colors? When approximately does the peak color occur?

Patrick Wallace wrote:

It doesn't.

There isn't the expanse of forests because a much greater spread of
land has been cultivated for centuries, and I seem to remember reading
that there's something special about the trees and/or the ecology of
the New England forests that encourages spectacular colour.

This is not to say that you won't get beautiful autumn colours in
Europe, but just not so much in any one place and not so brilliant.

It's the vast hardwood forests, especially the maple trees, and a change
of season that comes on fast enough that most of the trees are changing
colour at the same time. There is some colour in Europe but it pales in
comparison. A lot of French and German tourist come to the north-eastern
US or southern Ontario and Quebec for the autumn colour tours.

Following up to Keith Anderson

Tetbury in Gloucestershire has a collection of Japanese
maples that are exquisite with their reds and golds.

Sheffield Park has some good autumn colouring trees.
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap
Photos of both "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"