In nature, fall brings a necessary period of letting go and preparation. Trees draw back their sap and shed their leaves. Enchanting, warm shades of yellow, red, and orange emerge. Fruits and nuts fall to the ground, and animals begin to stock up for winter. Seeds are released and carried away by the turbulent fall wind.

Fall affects everyone’s rhythm and mood, inviting us to harvest and reflect, and helping us take stock. We celebrate the fruits of our labor and turn inward for rest and contemplation. The days grow shorter and colder. The time has come for warm and comforting meals.

Trimming season

From a botanical and ecological standpoint, fall is an extremely strategic season for trimming certain trees and shrubs. As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, the plant draws its nutrients back to the roots. Sap flow slows down significantly. This means that pruning in the fall causes less sap loss in sensitive tree species.

Although temperatures drop, the soil often remains warm for a long time after summer. This stimulates root growth, while above-ground growth stops. As a result, the plant can focus its energy on healing the wound before the real freezing temperatures set in. The risk of infection through fresh pruning wounds is significantly lower than in the spring.

Autumn Seasonal Poetry Collection

On Sunday, September 20, the new Autumn Seasonal Poetry Collection, curated by poet and author Anne Vegter, was proudly presented. For this collection, Vegter deliberately chose poems that are anything but the persistent autumn clichés and melancholy—poems that show how impressions from the world continue to change us. During the presentation, illustrator Maaike Hartjes brought Anne’s words to life through her drawings. These unique illustrations can be admired throughout the fall at the Park Pavilion.

In the collection, constellations are compared to stampeding horses, one poet wants to transform into a wooden chair, and another writes a poetic prescription for the autumn blues. “The poet as a doctor—why not?” says Vegter.

Anne Vegter was the first female Poet Laureate of the Netherlands from 2013 to 2017 and later served as City Poet of Rotterdam (2021). She has received numerous awards for her diverse body of work in children’s literature, theater, and poetry, including the Woutertje Pieterse Prize and the Ida Gerhardt Poetry Prize. Her latest poetry collection, Projectmedewerkers, was published in early 2026.

Herfst is available for free at the Park Pavilion, the Veerhuis, and all restaurants and cafes in the Park.

Parrotia persica

Parrotia persica (Persian ironwood) is one of the most impressive ornamental trees for gardens or parks, best known for its spectacular fall colors and distinctive bark. As can be seen in the photo on the right, the Parrotia persica in the Park has already begun to change color. In the fall, the leaves turn from yellow and orange to deep red and purple.