Windsor is the perfect place to embrace the smells, sights and sounds of autumn as the seasons gently change.  Whether September and October offer us the warmth of an Indian summer or the anticipated coolness and crispness, there are plenty of ways to make the best of the outdoors this autumn. 

Our friends at Windsor Great Park have plenty of ideas and inspiration: outdoor events and autumn colour 'leaf peeping' in The Savill Garden; autumn menus in The Savill Garden Kitchen; and brisk autumn walks and breathtaking views in the wider Great Park itself.  Perfect for a day visit or Windsor autumn short break.

Art in the Garden 2024, image Windsor & Eton PhotoArt

Art in the Garden, The Savill Garden

Wednesday 11 September – Tuesday 29 October 2024
The Surrey Sculpture Society returns for what has now become a yearly calendar event for The Savill Garden: Art in the Garden.

Set within the 35 acres of The Savill Garden, the exhibition combines eye-catching sculptures with horticultural excellence.

As you explore the Garden, you’ll encounter sculptures in varying styles, subject and materials; all inspired by the natural world and accompanied by the artist’s statement.
All the art is available for purchase and suitable for focal points in gardens, conservatories and indoors.

Autumn colours in The Savill Garden

The Savill Garden in autumn

“Autumn in The Savill Garden is such an exciting time of the year to see the brightly changing palette of colours" John Anderson, Keeper of the Gardens

Japanese maples, sweetgums, hickories and tupelo trees set the gardens alight with a palette of colours.

Beneath the canopies of the large trees, autumn bulbs of the colchicum, cyclamen and crocus emerge to put on subtle displays of colour.

Autumn is also a time when many birds come to the Garden to feed on the seeds and fruit of a huge range of plants, especially the mountain ash, hollies and grasses in the Dry Garden.

September

•    The New Zealand Garden, with long swaying grasses changing colour in the wind
•    Strong colours and continued flowering in the Herbaceous Borders and The Summer Wood.

October

•    The Autumn Wood blazes in glorious colours

Book tickets for The Savill Garden.

The Savill Garden Kitchen

Relax in The Savill Garden Kitchen

Extend your visit to Art in the Garden with a two- or three-course set menu for lunch in The Savill Garden Kitchen, inspired by the sculpture in The Savill Garden.

With prices starting from £21 per person, enjoy starters like the Windsor Great Park game terrine with seasonal local game, or try a colourful autumn garden salad of heritage beetroot, red and white chicory, and wild rocket and garden herbs with candy walnuts and a vinaigrette dressing that is sure to rival the autumn colours and sculpture of The Savill Garden.

With several sculptures celebrating fungi and fruit, continue the theme with a wild mushroom pearl barley risotto and finish for dessert with an apply and blackberry crumble.

Or if you were taken by the art that makes the most of the stream and pond of The Savill Garden, then why not opt for the Cornish hake ragout?

The set menu is available weekdays from 11 September – 29 October, 12pm – 3pm.
To guarantee a table it is recommended that you pre-book your table, especially for weekends.

Chapel Wood, Windsor Great Park

Chapel Wood & Cow Pond

Just a short walk outside of The Savill Garden, you’ll discover Chapel Wood and Cow Pond, a serene ornamental lake created in the 1700s.

Autumn fills Chapel Wood with colour from glorious Japanese maples, while a visit during January and February is rewarded with colourful and sweetly perfumed witch hazels.

Cow Pond was originally designed by the architect Henry Flitcroft and underwent extensive renovation in 2012 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
A new Baroque-style footbridge was added along with a beautiful oak arbour. As with the roof of The Savill Garden Visitor Centre, both the arbour and the footbridge were expertly crafted from sustainable Windsor Estate oak.

Discover Chapel Wood and Cow Pond on a walk in Windsor Great Park.

Autumn activities in The Windsor Great Park Environmental Centre

Get close to nature with craft activities suitable for adults and hosted by the Wildlife Trust in the Environmental Centre.

Tailored to the season, discover more about bats on a guided walk, enjoy art focused on fungi or reflect amongst the autumn colour of the woodland with forest bathing sessions.

•    Wednesday 2 October – Guided Bat Walk
•    Sunday 6 October – Harvest and Gratitude Forest Bathing
•    Wednesday 9 October – Art to Relax, Fungi
•    Thursday 10 October – Terracotta Pot Making
•    Monday 28 October – Willow weaving harvest basket
•    Sunday 3 November – Woodland of Reflection Forest Bathing