Autumn is Here

Yesterday was the most picture perfect Autumnal day at RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate and my husband, Peter captured the changing season as we revelled in the late afternoon sun…

With the trees turning red, gold and russet too, it was a stirring beauty to behold. Autumn is here!

I think it might just be my favourite season of all-a time of change, when nature matures becoming an aged beauty, the air still warm yet fresh and where, Yorkshire, my friends is simply at its finest.

Far from feeling melachonic, Autumn soothes and uplifts me, its warm hues invigorates and makes me to want to get my oils out and paint again (which I must)- and nothing quite captures the season like William Blake, Shakespeare’s tribute to Autumn, from Poetical Sketches, 1783 shared here:

O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stain’d
With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my shady roof; there thou may’st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe,
And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

“The narrow bud opens her beauties to
The sun, and love runs in her thrilling veins;
Blossoms hang round the brows of Morning, and
Flourish down the bright cheek of modest Eve,
Till clust’ring Summer breaks forth into singing,
And feather’d clouds strew flowers round her head.

“The spirits of the air live in the smells
Of fruit; and Joy, with pinions light, roves round
The gardens, or sits singing in the trees.”
Thus sang the jolly Autumn as he sat,
Then rose, girded himself, and o’er the bleak
Hills fled from our sight; but left his golden load.

Come relive our day in pictures…

This photo below truly captures the joy we felt at Harlow Carr-what a wonderful day!