The leaves of the Aspen (Populus tremula) are some of the most stunning autumn leaves, their summer green changing to yellow and orange and red and every combination of those colours, sometimes all in one leaf. Those colours, together with the way the leaves of the Aspen seem to quiver and rustle (tremula is Latin for trembling or quaking) at the merest hint of a breeze, make this tree a favourite of mine – and I’m sure with many of you, as well.

Aspen are usually associated with cold places, growing best in mountains near rivers – they prefer moist but well-drained soil, so coastal south Wales is not their preferred habitat but, for some reason, they seem often to be used in ornamental plantings in parks and alongside roads, in the landscaping around business and housing developments, so these are the Aspens I’m most familiar with. Some day I’d like to make an autumn trip to a place where Aspen are at their most spectacular – I’ve read the trees in the north west of Scotland put on a particularly fine autumn display.