‘Watching people’s behaviour change in summer is fascinating’: Anissa Helou

For a long time I lived in a friend’s house down the road from here and I’d often come to this part of the park. It’s a narrow lane, contained and planted on both sides, that leads to the Rose Garden. Although I don’t particularly like the plants now – they’ve become less colourful and less beautiful over the years – it’s still very lush, and I like the idea of a more secluded passage amidst this huge expanse. Perhaps it’s because it’s shady, and I try to stay away from the sun.

Watching people’s behaviour change during the summer is fascinating. They all undress, lie in the sun and have picnics. It’s a different way of life from the traffic, crowds and general noise of the city just outside the gates. Before it was forbidden, there were always people feeding the squirrels and pigeons here. Mothers would bring their children to teach them about animals. I don’t know what the fascination is about feeding them – I don’t have it – but it was very much part of this section of the park.

Now, I have houses in Trapani, Sicily, and also in Beirut, Lebanon, but they are both cities that are all about the sea. There are gardens, but not really anything like Hyde Park. I come back to London every three months or so, to have my hair cut and to visit the dentist, and I always try to visit. London is still the greenest place I’ve lived in.