Country diary: Golden leaves in the valley and holly trees stripped bare | Virginia Spiers

St Dominic, Tamar Valley: The frost is yet to arrive and we're awash with autumn colour as the mild weather continuesYellow leaves, remaining on the lime tree, brighten this dull November morning, and appear almost luminous against lichens on the leafless eucryphia. Frost has yet to blemish the early white camellia, and squirrels ignore the strawberry-like fruit of dogwoods in favour of abundant berries and nuts. Just one of the heavily laden hollies has been stripped of berries, probably eaten by a passing gang of wandering fieldfares. Blue flowers clothe aromatic rosemary and the ivy-woven undergrowth shelters violet plants - food for fritillary caterpillars.Before 8am, the sound of a quad bike (with headlight gleaming through the mist) sounds from opposite as the south Devon beef cattle are escorted into a fresh enclosure of greened-up grass, still growing in the mild weather. Outside this gardened enclave, the landmark clump of beech has been blown bare of its leaves and mast, and the Dupath farm's Aberdeen Angus bullocks graze in a nearby pasture. Continue reading...