Thompson’s Park in early winter

Lush leaf of bear’s breeches (Acanthus mollis) in December

At the beginning of 2016 I promised myself I would keep an eye on Thompson’s Park in Cardiff as the seasons changed through the year, so I have just enough time before Christmas to fit in a snapshot of the park as we pass from late autumn into early winter.

I took these pictures on November 25 and December 9 and in just a fortnight almost the last of the autumn leaves fell. Some berries and seeds remain and there are a few winter blossoms. Please let me know if I have misidentified anything…

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2016 tree following 11: Golden days before they end

Fallen oak leaves in December

Last month I was becoming a bit impatient with the oak tree (Quercus robur) I am following in Cardiff’s Thompson’s Park, as it seemed slow to take on autumn hues. But I knew that when the right time came it would all happen very quickly, so I have visited the tree twice this month. And what a difference a fortnight has made.

The following pictures were taken on November 25 and December 9 and where I can I put similar shots together for comparison. A fortnight ago the leaves were golden but now they are brown and more have fallen to the ground.

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Just a pile of logs and sawdust…

Fallen horse chestnut in Thompson’s Park, Cardiff, in June 2016

This is the story of the life after death of the horse chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum) blown down in Storm Imogen in Early February. It stood in Thompson’s Park, Cardiff, and I have been keeping an eye on it all year.

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2016 tree following 10: Gold among the green

Autumn leaves on the oak tree (Quercus robur) in Cardiff’s Thompson’s Park

I had hoped by now that the oak tree (Quercus robur) I am following in Cardiff’s Thompson’s Park would be gold all over, but it seems to be one of the last trees to change colour, along with one or two stubborn ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior) I have seen around.

It has been a wonderful autumn for trees in the city this year, as we have had mostly cold and dry weather throughout October. See my other autumn blog posts here.

Most of the following pictures were taken on November 10.

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Thompson’s Park in autumn

Chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum) in Thompson’s Park, Cardiff, on October 25

I usually blog just once a week, but there is so much of golden autumn around at the moment that I can’t help keeping on about it, as it will be over so soon. Here are some recent images from Thompson’s Park in Cardiff, which I have been visiting throughout the year. It’s certainly a time of mellow fruitfulness.

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A big fan of fungi

Fungus in Cardiff’s Thompson’s Park

I’m a big fan of fungi and took these pictures in Thompson’s Park, Cardiff, in August, but I recently revisited, so I’m using that excuse to share them now. I had often seen this fungus, which I always thought was Trametes versicolor, turkeytail, on a tree stump in the park (see my January fungus foray here). But fellow blogger Earthstar tells me it’s giant polypore, Meripilus giganteus.

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2016 tree following 9: Before the fall

A few leaves on the oak tree are turning to autumn gold

The oak tree (Quercus robur) in the middle of Cardiff’s Thompson’s Park is at last tinged with autumn colours – although it’s still mostly green and you have to make an effort to find the golden leaves.

Now we are past the equinox and the daylight hours are getting shorter there is a distinct nip in the air. This has been particularly noticeable in the last fortnight as we have had cold easterly winds, unusual in South Wales.

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