Having visited China a few times in the summer I wondered how autumn would compare. The rice fields were golden and harvest is in full swing and the abundant spurges of the Zhongdian Plateau colour a rich red, the perfect foil for the dazzling selection of blue autumn flowers. Not just the glorious big trumpets ofย Gentiana veitchiorumย or marshes choked with thousands ofย Gentiana sino-ornata, but the carpets ofย Comastoma traillianum, deepest blue aconitums, delphiniums and ubiquitousย Halenia elliptica. It surprised me just how many flowers were still in full flow with soft yellowย Salvia digitaloides, tumbling mats of goldenย Saxifraga brachypoda, various louseworts, white anemones and a delightful mix of gorgeousย Swertia patulaย andย delavayiย near the impressive cliffs of Tiger Leaping Gorge. However,my personal favourite is the ravishingย Cyananthus formosusย on Hong Shan where it grows withย Syncalathium souliei, Gentiana arethusae, G caelestisย and the weirdย Saussurea quercifolia.ย Add to this clear landscapes, the verdant forests of Gaoligongshan and picturesque rural scenes, autumn in Yunnan was just as worthwhile as the flower-crazed summer. – Chris Gardner
