"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is in flower"

Albert Camus was right when he said this about autumn - it's the subtle colours and hues when you get them reflected in water (above) and the wonderful light at the end of the day when the sun is shining. The leaves are beginning to turn here in the south of England, but this year I shall miss the really wonderful fiery autumn displays I so enjoy, because I'm leaving for India and after that I'll be back in the US.

So today, I'm going to share some wonderful autumn gardens with readers, that you can visit while I'm away. Scotland has more than it's fair share of gardens that excel in October in terms of colour, like Greenbank (above), Crarae, and the fabulous Benmore Botanic Garden. I'd really hoped to get up there this year to see the autumn colours, but ran out of time.

In the south we are really spoiled, because we have the Savill Gardens (above), many arboretums, and of course, Sheffield Park (below), which is famous the world over for its autumn acer displays. I was there earlier this week, and the colours haven't yet reached their peak, but this is one to put on your list later in October, as is Westonbirt in Gloucestershire. I have to confess I've not yet been to Westonbirt, but it's on my list, but I know that many other British bloggers will feature this wonderful arboretum this autumn.

And there's still time to catch the subtle colours at Great Dixter (below) before it closes at the end of the month. This is a wonderful time to visit this iconic garden, because it's rarely crowded in the autumn.

Heading west, there's the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens (below) near Winchester, which are fabulous in the autumn, and of course, Stourhead. These are two of the great gardens that remain open throughout the year, so once the autumn hues are gone, you've got the joy of misty mornings in the winter months.

And finally the autumn hues of Devon and Cornwall. I visited Marwood Hill (below), just a couple of weeks ago and was bowled over by the glorious colours. And there's plenty more gardens in the area that also have stunning autumn colours, including The Garden House. And as you head further west , further towards the toe of England, there's Lanhydrock, Trebah and many other Cornish gardens that remain open throughout the winter, because the climate there is kinder.