A wise friend summed it up:
Autumn never disappoints
A moment with Maple in Christ Church College Gardens, Oxford
Summer’s sun is inconsistent, Winter’s snow is inconvenient & Spring’s showers are inevitable. Autumn however, carries no expectation & then out of nowhere those halcyon days return, where the sun is low & the leaves burn bright.
Reason 1. A Fresh Start
The British school system instils the sense that Autumn is the start of something new. A new pencil case may no longer be on the cards (although a new pair of shoes definitely should be!) but a shiny new feeling can still be raked out from beneath those fallen leaves.
With My 1834, in Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum
Reason 2. Wardrobe Champions
Hands up if your summer wardrobe is packed away before the first conker hits the ground? Us British girls know that when it comes to fashion & this time of year, we’ve got it nailed. The Italians can keep the Summer with their effortless Milano style: structured yet soft silhouettes in muted colours, set against skin the colour of a Toffee Crisp. We’ll take Autumn thanks, all the best things we’ve invested in get to come out & play in Autumn – the trench you dreamt of for a decade, that trusty jumper dress, THE boots, that timeless bag that reinvents itself time & again, finding a place on your arm every year. See our Autumn Essentials for our loves this season.
Reason 3. Holidays Are Coming
You may be more Oscar the Grouch “Christmas is a bummer” than “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day”, but there is something reassuring in the predictable & even Oscar can admit that Christmas is nothing if not predictable. The loaded “who’s spending Christmas where” conversations are in full swing, Sky’s Christmas channel is running & is anyone else imagining the smell of mulled wine as they walk past anything resembling a market, like the local greengrocer’s stall? It’s happening, Christmas is in the offing.
Winter approaches Oxford Botanic Garden
Reason 4. A Cosy Corner
Kings Arms, Oxford
Following on from the mulled wine chat, the great pubs of the British Isles come into their own at this time of year. Currently & sadly we are seeing 3 pubs a day close for good in this country. Get down your local & support our wonderful pub culture. Sign the @LongLiveTheLocal petition to protect these pillars in our modern communities.
Reason 5. Seasonal Produce
Harvest’s abundance brings out the best in Britain’s rich pantry. Duck for that Sunday Roast with a twist; squashes, parsnips, celeriac for those Autumn slow-cook dishes; apples & blackberries for the crumble, damsons for the gin. For a well constructed seasonal menu, check out The Magdalen Arms in Oxford, if you’re in the area.
Catch while you can…
Some of our beautiful architecture is set ablaze at this time of year, check out Oxford’s Christ Church college.
Visit a botanical garden & see the last hurrah of the flowering annuals & the delicate fading of the perennials, preferably shrouded in an Autumn mist if the weather plays ball.
Christ Church College, Oxford
Oxford Botanic Garden