As the father of four children, I have spent many hours in various East York parks that have playground equipment. During this year’s March break, I am going to revisit one each day and make a post of some of the nature that I find there.

Dieppe Park is home to an outdoor skating rink, a hockey rink, a baseball diamond and a soccer field.

There is a good variety of planted trees here. The north end is bordered with Linden trees.

Linden bark

The red new growth and buds of Linden

The south end is bordered with Norway Maples.

 

Norway Maple keys

Other planted trees include Scots Pine.

The shredded bark of Russian Olive

Austrian Pine

Austrian Pine needles and last year’s pollen cones

Colorado Spruce cone

Thornless Honey Locusts

Honey Locust seed pods

The corky ridges of Bur Oak

Serviceberry

Ornamental Pear

Weedy plants growing near the fences include Tree of Heaven with its “monkey-face” leaf scars;

Manitoba Maple with its white, opposite buds;

Riverbank Grape vine;

Siberian Elm;

White Mulberry with its orange bark;

Wych Elm;

Motherwort;

Last year’s Bittersweet Nightshade berries.

Miles Hearn