Secret Gardens
Suddenly out of nowhere, it's April - we're 4 months into the year and Easter weekend is upon us! Will the weather disappoint? Will we eat too many chocolate easter eggs? Will we gorge ourselves on hot cross buns? The answer is most definitely yes to all of the above.
With the long weekend comes the opportunity to spend some time in the garden and there seems to be a never-ending list of jobs to do - pruning, tidying, planting and avoiding the scary corner of the garden shed that is infested with spiders. While having a garden is a luxury not all of us possess, you can always bring the outside in with a selection of carefully curated artworks. We've chosen our favourite garden-themed picks for you plus a little easter treat.
Although a wonderfully organised greenhouse is something to aim for, the reality for most of us is perfectly captured in this oil painting by Doris Foster. We love the organic and carefree composition captured by Foster - truly evoking a sense of the real world. We can’t all be Monty Don, can we?
This sweet rose bed pastel is wonderfully idyllic! It makes us want to escape to the country and buy a little stone cottage (if money were no object!) We hope our own roses will be just as pretty this summer!
How cute is this little lad and his furry companion? We love the idea that they have hidden away in the slightly overgrown shrubbery and have just been discovered! This wonderful mid-century wood frame makes for a perfect match to the vintage aesthetic of the watercolour.
Vera Furneaux (1904-1995) - Mid 20th Century Watercolour, Young Boy And His Dog
If you hadn’t guessed we absolutely adore this still life from the Austin Taylor collection. These spring roses look like they’ve just been freshly cut from the garden and placed on the coffee table. We couldn’t not include this piece in our picks for the second week in a row!
Austin Taylor (1908-1992) - Framed Mid 20th Century Gouache, Floral Finish
A final treat from us to you. Try out this aaaamazing recipe for hot cross buns. A hundred times better than any shop-bought bun you’ll have this weekend!
This sweet embroidery has us dreaming of the perfect cottage garden. Awash with colourful spring blooms and cheerful naivety this piece would look perfect propped up on a bookshelf.
A bountiful harvest of luscious vegetables! We love this fun still life study that puts our own veg-growing attempts to shame.
What could be more Easter themed than this still life with eggs? We absolutely adore the muted tones and mid-century vibes. Beautifully painted and presented in a delicate gilt effect frame. This oil painting has our hearts.
Interestingly we know exactly who is captured in this watercolour study (which isn’t always the case with vintage art!) Dorothy Santon can be seen sketching in Margaret Hill's garden on a pleasant spring day in 1993. We love the expressive brushwork mixed with the bright colour palette.
Jean Dryden Alexander (1911-1994) - Signed 1993 Gouache, Artist in a Garden
Unfortunately, our back garden isn’t this impressive but we can dream. This stunning landscaped garden even comes with its own grand chateau.
There’s not much that can beat relaxing in the garden with a good book. We adore this cheeky nude study by Peter Collins!
