Last year I wanted to grow more flowers in my garden and supply myself with blooms all Summer. I bought lots of seeds with good intentions but had a really busy Spring and didn’t get them out as early as I should have, I started some off in my very small greenhouse/cold frame and others I sowed directly into the ground a bit later. Not really knowing what I was doing it was a bit hit and miss, some things grew really well, some I wasn’t that keen on, some I loved. It was busy, colourful, a bit wild and to be honest that is my kind of garden. I didn’t buy any flowers all Summer and I loved the mixed bouquets I was arranging. I walked through the garden all Summer, thinking I must do some drawings/paintings of these but it didn’t happen until September - one of the last really hot days of the year, when I decided to make the most of the weather and the colour!

I started on big pieces of paper, getting a base colour of paint down first, then loosely drawing in with derwent intense sticks and Caran D’ache wax pastels. It came really easily, which I think was because I’ve been soaking up these views all Summer, so I was ready to go when I sat down to do it. I produced three large mixed media paper pieces, all quite different but they captured the essence of these flowers; the cosmos and black-eyed susan climbing and tangling together, the bold colour and delicate details of the dahlias and the sturdy rudbeckias, standing tall and proud, reaching for the sun.

These moments from my garden have now been mounted onto board and framed, they’ve been exhibited and will be making their way to my shop. I’m hoping to learn a little bit more this year and I’ve definitely started earlier, so fingers crossed for more exciting colour.

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