I know it’s a cliche to talk about autumn colour in October but as I’m sitting at my desk writing this I am inspired by the bright blue sky and autumnal sunshine outside my window, illuminating the buttery yellows and fiery reds of the countryside surrounding our house.

I’ve always been more interested in the growing of plants than the science side of things but one of my favourite plant science lessons focused on the “how” behind autumn colour.

My tutor at the time really sold it to me and though it’s doubtful I will be able to recreate in you the feeling of awe he left in me, I’ll give it a shot as plants are truly fascinating and deserve our marvel.

It’s not the cooler weather or frost that are responsible for autumn colour displays, though these can have an affect on colour and intensity, but the shorter days. Or, to be more specific, the longer nights.

Plants are sensitive to the amount of darkness in each day and in autumn, as the days shorten, the cells between the base of the leaf and the stem begin to divide rapidly creating a dry, cork-like layer of cells known as the abscission layer.

The abscission layer slowly begins to block the nutrient highway, causing a jam in both directions preventing the downward movement of carbohydrates from the leaves to the stems and upward movement of nutrients from the roots to the leaves.

Chlorophyll (the green pigment in leaves and stems) is constantly produced during the growing season as it breaks down with exposure to sunlight. However, once the abscission layer is in place (our nutrient roadblock) the production of chlorophyll slows and stops completely, revealing the spectacular autumn colours that lie beneath.

During the growing season, chlorophyll masks the yellow and orange pigments (xanthophylls and carotenoids) that exist in the leaf meaning they are only visible once the chlorophyll has shut up shop at the end of the season.

However, the red and purple pigments are usually not present year round (with the exception of purple leaved plants such as Copper Beech and the Smoke Bush etc). Known as anthocyanins, they are manufactured from sugars trapped in the leaves as the season comes to a close.

Over the course of the autumn, the cells in the abscission layer become drier, until eventually the connections between cells become so weakened, the leaves fall from the tree.

Some plants, such as beech and hornbeam, are able to retain much of their leaves over winter. But the coloured pigments will eventually break down in sunlight or frost leaving behind tannins, a pigment which is brown. Environmental factors such as light levels, temperature and rainfall influence the quality of the display.

An early frost will cause the leaves to drop early as can a very dry growing season, which can sometimes trigger the early formation of the abscission layer.

However, a moist spring and summer followed by a dry autumn, consisting of warm sunny days and cool nights, is the best recipe for outstanding autumn colour. So start praying for that Indian summer if you want to get the best show.