Blue Mountains News

The glow of red and gold is one of the most anticipated natural phenomena of the Blue Mountains region and this year is no exception with visitors already packing to see the pigmented leaves. As the temperatures begin to drop the species of Redwood, Maple and Sequoia change colour across the Garden.

People from all over the world explore the 28 hectares of the Garden to witness the variety of colour for themselves. Some opt to spend a whole weekend at the Garden by staying overnight at the Jungle Lodge and waking up to the breathtaking view.   

“Autumn is always one of the most popular times of year to see the Garden, and this year is certainly no exception,” said Greg Bourke, Curator at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah.

“The explosion of colour that results from the Autumn Colours display is a brilliant showcase of the range of exotic cool climate plants at Tomah and one of Mother Nature’s most picturesque displays,” he said.

“To see the full extent of the autumnal change I recommend visitors explore the Brunet Garden or stroll along the Plant Explorers Walk to soak up the stunning surroundings. One of the real highlights is the conifer display and the Gingko trees. They turn a bright sunny yellow!”

“To celebrate this spectacle, we’ve chosen the fiery Red Maple as April’s Plant of the Month. Our Garden grown Maples can now be bought at the Visitor Centre, allowing our guests to take home a truly unique gift.”

Visitors can see the autumn colour at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah throughout April and May, but for a short time only, as the autumn change has now begun and it won’t be long before the leaves are gone.

Why do the leaves change colour?

1. The sunny days and cooler nights of autumn set in place an extraordinary chemical process which causes the change of colour.
2. Chlorophyll molecules exist in leaves and allow plants to process nutrients through a process called photosynthesis.
3. The process of photosynthesis creates sugars, which can be used by the plant to grow. As days shorten and nights cool in autumn, the flow of nutrients is interfered with, causing the colour of leaves to change.
4. Different combinations of the chemical carotenes and sugars in the leaves causes different colour reactions – resulting in a varied autumn landscape!