ISOLATION ARTIST BLOG - DAY 16

Today I started to think about the blog as a kind of portrait of myself and what's important to me. So I thought I'd include some watercolour sketches from my sketchbook where I've painted people from life - usually at the beach. And in doing this just realise that I can't paint figures at the beach for the foreseeable time.

So many things that I've taken for granted aren't available now. We bought the Saturday Times today and I went through the weekend section eager to read the Bird watch column and see the bird illustration, it's not there and I felt sad. My friend, Peter Brown, a wonderful wood engraver, normally illustrates this column with a fabulous bird each week. 

But then there's the garden. Thank goodness for the garden. I must say this at least ten times a day. I feel very lucky as I love the garden here. It's the best garden I've ever had - what perfect timing is that. There were many good plants already here when we moved in almost three years ago. Plants that I had dreamt of having in my garden - two large wisterias, three peonies, lupins, old fashioned lavender, roses, pulsatilla, ferns galore, passionflower, a large acanthus, apple trees, three well established acers and many varieties of cranesbill. Some of these plants I have had to leave in previous gardens when I've moved and felt a pang of loss but they've all returned to me, almost threefold! And I've added stipa gigantia, giant cardoons, various astrantia, more lupins, anemones, hellebores, climbing roses, five clematis, yews in pots, agapanthus, various euphorbias and many other plants that I don't remember now. It's such a blessing to have all of this to look after and enjoy. Each day every plant is inspected and cared for more than they ever were before.

Happy Easter and enjoy the sunshine.