Our first botanical painting safari was a great success

Our first botanicals painting workshops at the gorgeous Gambledown Farm went down very.

Our guests were delighted with their tents, which are unbelievably luxurious, it was hardly camping really with double beds, duvets and wool blankets, hot showers, sofas, log burners and an incredible view. Our lunches and dinners were beautifully prepared by The Kitchen Social, specialising in healthy food and locally sourced ingredients, and I offered both drawing and painting workshops on our mess tent veranda overlooking the Test Valley.

The weather was very kind to us, so we could sit out under the awning and our workshop participants were both enthusiastic and great company. They were all a delight to spend time with.

With country walks into the bargain and visiting chickens, it couldn’t have run more smoothly or been more fun. Definitely something to put in the diary for next year.

Artist in the 'Best in Show' RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden

It was a huge pleasure to represent the Horatio’s Garden arts programme and artists in residence at the charity’s Main Avenue show garden at RHS Chelsea 2023.

As one of the spinal injury charity’s designers and art workshop hosts, I was invited to take part in garden events by painting ‘plain air’ in the show garden itself. While visitors and charity sponsors took in the beauty of the planting and cutting edge garden designs in the garden, it gave me an opportunity to record a little of the plants in the evening light and to chat about the charity which builds and looks after beautiful garden spaces for spinal units across the British Isles.

Added to the excitement of the event was the presentation of Best in Show to Horatio’s Garden and the garden designers, Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bug of Harris Bug Studio.

Horatio’s Garden nurtures wellbeing after spinal injury in vibrant sanctuaries in NHS spinal centres. This show garden was the first garden on Chelsea’s famous main avenue that has mobility needs at its heart and it is being relocated to the Princess Royal Spinal Cord Injuries Centre in Sheffield in 2024. It will be the eighth of the charity’s gardens at NHS spinal centres.

As you can understand, I felt as slight sense of trepidation in representing the charity in their show garden, with such a large audience. To prepare and ensure I didn’t make a mess of my part I did lots of plein air painting, or outdoor painting, and packed and unpacked my travelling wooden easel and palette many times.

However, once set up in the garden the light was so beautiful and visiting garden enthusiasts so friendly that the event was a joy. I’d do it again at the drop of a hat!