Finding signs of a "False Autumn?!" The magical scenes of Thorseby Park.

"The Dukeries area of Nottinghamshire, is one of those areas of the county that has so much history and a rich and varied landscape, rolling vistas, hills and a gentleness to it." And it was on Saturday the 4th of July 2026, that I had the chance to visit one of those locations within the aptly named area of The Dukeries, that one being Thorseby Park, located right next door to the majestic Thorseby Hall, a majestic hall that was designed by the architect Anthony Salvin - who was the architect behind Harlexton Manor, in the Vale of Belvoir. But as I was walking around Thorseby Park, I was taken away, yes by the beauty and undulation of the landscape, the woodlands that had a delightful dappled light to them that made them a little more spectacular, if slightly serene, but at the same time what did I come across? 

Well that was also the signs of something called a "False Autumn." And amongst the otherwise green and lush woodlands, down below with the otherwise green Ferns, an unusual sight could be seen, and that of course was the ferns looking slightly Autumnal, but perhaps though these ferns and their more Autumnal looking colours, are the signs of an False Autumn that is on the horizon, but I also came across the magical scenes as well, and below are the photos that I captured on Saturday the 4th of July 2026, from Thorseby Park. 

"The Silent Tree Sculptures Grow."

"Eden Green and Woodland Glow."

"The Shine of Woodland Green."

"Summer Autumn, Hybrid Glow."

"A Portrait of Green, Yellow and Amber."

"False Autumn Show."

"On the turn amongst the Green of Summer Glow."

"By the summer banks of The Meden."

When you get told that there is something happening with the sky! Moments later and on the horizon I saw Drama.

It goes without saying "that the end of June was interesting to say the least!" A heatwave, followed of course by the temperatures cooling off slightly and the intense heat and humidity also gently fading away (for now at least. However the second week in July of 2026, and that could change.) But it was on Tuesday the 30th of June 2026, that I heard the following words being spoken to me, which went something along the following lines, 

"Quick, Quick, the skies have gone dark and heavy, for a Thunderstorm or Rain is on the way."

Moments later, I came inside, and got the metaphorical flying tripod with a camera attached to it, and sent it into the air, and what could I see on the horizon, spanning the entire length of The Erewash Valley, well that was a dramatic and heavy skies and in the distance, the rain falling. But I then decided to take just the one photo, overlooking the town of Eastwood, in the direction of Langley Mill/Heanor and beyond with the horizon full of drama and rain, which would some ten minutes later, provide a dramatic rain shower as it moved over into the Nottinghamshire area. But below is the photo of the Drama in the skies that I managed to capture.

"Moody, Heavy and Encroaching."

After a the sky lit up on Friday the 19th of June, a gut feeling then told me.

It was on the evening of Friday the 19th of June 2026, that at 21:26pm, the sky completely lit up, with a delightful deep orange tone to it, that changed over a rather short period of time, before it completely faded away again, but after that, I was thinking to myself, 

"Well judging by that sky, tomorrow on Saturday the 20th of June 2026, that with the cloud cover, with the warmth and with the sun, that surely there was going to be another sunset, another work of art that nature will provide, surely that will happen."

And surely enough on the evening of Saturday the 20th of June 2026, what did I notice? Well for a start I noticed that the sky was beginning to slowly but surely change colour, and immediately I just had to grab hold of the metaphorical flying tripod with a camera attached to it, and send it into the air, and surely enough as mere moments went on, passed by I was witnessing in real time, nature creating a work of art, a painting in the sky, and below are the photos that I had managed to capture.

"The evening Glow of Suburbia and The Valley."

"As the sky lights up over Suburbia and Beyond."

"From Suburbia to Sunset."

"As the rooftops of Suburbia Glow."

"The Painting of the Sky over Suburbia begins."

"A Pastel Horizon, a Town Glows."

"Over the rooftops of Sunset Town."

"Pastel fire over Suburbs and the Town."

"Art of Summer, The pastel Clouds and Sky a Glow."

When the Summer Woodland provides a sense of calm and Beauty along with Art. Finding serenity of the Woodlands at Shipley Country Park.

Summer is one of those seasons that has  a certain charm to it, for it is a season in which the landscape seems that little bit more alive and lush, but there is also another location in the summer which can also offer a lot of joy and opportunities to capture, and that of course happens to be within the woodlands - yes throughout the year woodlands have a habit of being curated and crafted by nature, in the Winter they seem bare, come the Spring life starts to emerge and the lush foliage of greens and layers within the woodlands also change, from carpets of colour to beautiful greenery, in the Summer they come alive with greenery before of course the theatrical colours of Autumn start to appear, before they head off into a deep sleep again for the Winter. 

And it was on Thursday the 18th of June 2026, that I was back at Shipley Country Park, a parkland that has a varied and changing landscape, rolling hills, vistas, views, wildflower meadows and of course some small but perfectly formed areas of woodland that are managed but also not over managed, which means they have a little bit more of a natural feel to them, and this time around walking around the woodlands of Shipley Hill/Horsepool Hill, at Shipley Country Park, what did I come across? Well the magical sense of Woodland Calm, Beauty and Arts, along with serenity and of course the soundtrack of birdsong which made things that little bit more special, for artworks is what you find within a woodland in the summer, and below are the photos that I had managed to capture this time around. 

"Gentle and Soothing, Shades and Light."

"The Square of Summer and Green as it Glows."

"Following the Road through Summer."

"Warm Summer Light, Bathing."

"A Giant Grows, Sculpture Glows."

"The Giant in The Growth of Green."

"Within the Gallery of Summer Woodland."

"The Sculpture and The Summer in Portrait."

"Seeking Sculpture, as the Afternoon Light it Shines."

"Framed is the Shades of Summer Woodland and Beauty."

"Summer Solitude."

"The Magical Theatre of Summer Woodland."

"The Woodland Summer Stage."

"Seeking the Foliage, Arts and Lights."

"Summer Light and Giants of Woodland Calm."

"The Summer Theatre of Woodland Glow."

"The other Woodland World."

"Summer as the Rhododendron Light Shines."

"A Wall of Green and Faded Colour Clings On."

Colours within an art gallery surrounded by Suburbia, and a bit of "Confusion?!"

Suburbia and urban areas really are rather "complex systems of planning." But throughout the years there has always been that element of creating areas for people to escape the many four walls, concrete and bricks that Suburbia and urban areas are known for and that element of creating areas for people to escape happens to be parkland, no matter which city or town you are within there will always be some kind of park or parkland or even parks. And on Sunday the 14th of June 2026, the local park was calling, for it was a friend who said something along the following lines the other week which was,

"Have you seen the beautiful Wildflowers on the local park?"

Me, I said no, but I had seen other photos of the Wildflowers on the park that my friend was on about. And as Sunday the 14th of June progressed and time went on, it was finally in the afternoon that I took the metaphorical plunge and ended up visiting the local park, where I came across swathes of colour, for it was like walking around an art gallery, with the various wildflowers carefully blending together almost like a Monet painting, and walking around the park and of course the small but beautiful sections of woodland that the park contains, I also encountered a bit of confusion, for it is certainly Meteorological Summer and yet I also encountered some rather early Conkers already growing! For is Summer going to have something of a false Autumn element to it, or is there going to be a rather early Autumn that arrives at the latter end of Summer? Who knows. But below are the photos that I had captured walking around the local park. 

"Sea of Purple."

"The Portrait of Summer Colours."

"Where the red and colours Glow."

"Floating over a Sea of Colour."

"As Nature Grows the Art."

"A Painting, a Work of Art as it Grows."

"Layers and Elements of Summer Arts."

"The Three Red Poppies stand there Guard."

"When nature paints a Painting before me."

"A City of Colour, a city of Floral Delight."

"The Summer Dreamscape."

"Where the Gentle Red and Green it Glows."

"Summertime Confused?"

"A Portal to Woodland Calm."

"Light and the Woodland Dreamscape."