Autumn turns over new leaf in blaze of colour

Enjoy the peace and tranquillity, the flora and fauna, of this remarkable woodland garden.

Castle Howard's association with arboreal cultivation goes back to the early 18th century, when Ray Wood was modelled into a naturalistic garden full of winding paths. The wood fell into decline after the Second World War, but was revived during the 1960s by horticulturalist James Russell.

In 1975, Russell and Castle Howard's then owner, George Howard, began work on a new arboretum, conceived as one of the most comprehensive collections of woody plants in Europe.

Thanks to their vision, Castle Howard's arboretum is now home to about 6,500 different types of plants.

Head Arborist Neil Batty looks after a collection that includes many rare specimens from Britain and all over the world. Among the highlights are species from remote parts of western China. Russell collected these samples in 1985, during a ground-breaking joint expedition with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Since1997, the arboretum has been administered jointly by Castle Howard and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

It was opened to the public

in 1999.

Technical details: Camera Nikon D2Xs, 80-200mm lens, 250th @ F8, ISO rating 100.

Pictres by Gerard Binks