Heritage trees part of Autumn Festival

A guided walk through the stunning landscape of heritage-listed Golden Valley Tree Park is part of the annual Autumn Festival of Country Gardens next weekend.

A variety of gardens between Donnybrook and Pemberton will be open to the public from May 6 to May 8, during the festival that is hosted by Blackwood Country Gardens.

Guided by Tree Park members Chrissy Sharp, Bob Hingston and Brian Martin, the event's special walk promises to be a relaxing yet spectacular experience.

Thanks to unseasonal heavy summer rainfall in January, the park's trees are boasting a dense span of gorgeous red and yellow leaves.

"The Mother's Day walk is at the peak time for autumn colours, showcasing the beauty of a deciduous landscape in its transition," said Dr Sharp, a co-founder of the Tree Park.

For a small fee, visitors can wander the 60 hectare site of the biggest arboretum in WA, which Dr Sharp says is home to more than 400 tree species. Northern hemisphere oaks, maples, and persimmons are just some of the diverse flora growing.

In a coup for the region, the park was last year listed on the Register of Australian Botanic Gardens, which brings with it more grants for redevelopments such as the planned Magic Oak Woods walk and tree-house.

The festival runs over the whole weekend, with a spring display also scheduled for the first weekend in November.