Recent events have meant physio including taking a short walk each day and building up to longer walks over a number of weeks. It has made me realise how lucky I am in having a park just over the road from where I live, Homestead Park in York. Until 2018 I had been over to take a few photos in the snow and had run though it on occasion but it was mainly somewhere I ran or cycled past. It has now become a regular haunt, initially undertaking short circuits and building up to longer laps of the park in May and June and then again after another hospital visit in November. It has given me time to appreciate the park in different seasons and by taking life at a slower pace take in the plants that are growing there, time to stop and take photographs.

My local park has become an additional resource for planting inspiration and combinations, enjoying the white alliums planted with zingy acid green euphorbias or the purple alliums (Allium ‘Purple Rain’) mixed in with purple poppies (Papaver somniferum ‘Dark Plum’) and grasses. I planted more alliums in my garden last autumn (both white and purple flowering varieties) and sowing poppy seeds to start adding some into the garden, hopefully with a healthy bunch left over to bring into the house. I’ve also enjoyed the clumps of grasses, the Pennisetum with their fluffy seed heads and the delicate flowers of Molinia, whether in summer, covered in raindrops in autumn or frosted in winter. Any of these plants would be equally at home in a small garden or combined in a planter in a courtyard space.

Moving on to late autumn and winter I’ve been enjoying the vibrant white berries of the snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) glistening in the late afternoon light and the swathe of bright red and yellow stems of Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ surrounding a stunning white birch. Betula utilis is one of my favourite trees to use in its multi-stemmed form in a large planter, it makes a stunning focal point and I love the ghostly feel it gives out when it is lit up at night. Equally the colourful stems of Cornus will brighten up a courtyard on a grey winter’s day, dotted around or either side of a door and at this time of year under planted with hellebores or violas in complementary colours.

Wandering further round the park the orange Hammamelis comes into view, looking vibrant and cheerful regardless of the colour of the sky. Even better is the sweet-scented air that fills the space long before you see the colour, in a small space I want plants that engage as many senses as possible. The Hammamelis were under planted with the black grass Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’, these will really stand against the background of a colourful planter and raised up closer to eye level.

Most of all its reminded me to always take a phone or a notepad and pen with me to capture ideas as I wander past and perhaps allow a little more time to take in the surrounding environment.