Key plants in The Garden of Renewal: Nature’s Embrace

Fast-growing, deciduous tree to 18m tall, with a conical habit and shaggy bark, peeling in layers at first pinkish-orange then brown, or almost blackish or grey-white and ridged on old trees and diamond-shaped, glossy green leaves turn yellow in autumn; yellow-brown male catkins to 8cm long in early spring.

Chosen for its bark representing open wounds.

A large erect deciduous shrub or small tree of open habit, with bronze-tinged young leaves turning orange and red in autumn. White flowers appear in short, lax racemes as the leaves unfurl. Fruits are red to dark purple-black berries, eaten by birds.

Chosen to symbolise the cycle of life.

Upright, fleshy stems clothed in spring with handsome mid-green leaves, followed by clusters of long-lasting, black-eyed, chartreuse-green flowers. This evergreen spurge looks equally good when not in flower.

Chosen for its evergreen upright habit to stimulate a feeling of upliftment.

A curious ornamental cultivar that bears umbels that open in early summer. Each purple flower is held on a long wiry stem. These umbels develop bulbils at their base. 

Chosen to evoke creativity and spontaneity.

Fine clouds of feathery, bright green leaves, which have a sweet aniseed flavour are crowned with flat-topped, sulphur-yellow flower heads in mid- to late summer, followed by aromatic seeds.

Chosen for its culinary and medicinal uses.