Autumn foliage is a kind of alchemy

A DECIDUOUS tree is really a tree that has learned to hibernate, going through profound metabolic changes in order to survive the winter.

The reason there are no deciduous trees in the tropics is because it never gets cold there.

It can get cold in Ireland, certainly, but because of our relatively mild maritime climate this normally only happens quite late in the year. For this reason, our deciduous trees “hibernate” later than most. I once made a TV series about trees for an English production company. The director wanted to fly over to Ireland to film autumn colour. He couldn’t believe it when I told him to delay his flight until well into November.