#18 IN MY GARDEN
Sketching the Seasons: Winter Reflections and Fresh Inspiration
Hi Everyone,
The last "In My Garden" post I shared was way back on December 3rd, 2024! Eek! For those who are new here, welcome. Let me fill you in. Back in August 2024 I was invited to take part in an exhibition with Worcester Arts Collective. The exhibition is called Revolve and it’s a -
‘Year long personal project designed to encourage exploration and experimentation within your art practice over an extended period.’
I have to produce one small 2D piece of work a week, maximum size A6 on any theme or subject matter. The Project started week beginning 5 August 2024 and will end w/b 28 July 2025. I chose this is an opportunity to sketch my garden through the seasons.
You should check out Emma (My sister) who is also doing it and has chosen to concentrate on Plein Air sketches around her farm in Somerset.
Like many others during winter, I’ve found it HARD to stay inspired by the garden. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a cold, frosty morning. My grasses look absolutely beautiful in the morning sun. But when it’s foggy, cloudy, rainy… you know, the usual winter gloom, it’s a struggle.
This project started with me sketching my flowers. Back in August, the garden was bursting with blooms, and even as autumn arrived, the fading flowers and seedheads provided plenty to draw. My garden looked like this in the summer—it's easy to forget amidst the winter dieback.
By late November, well, what can I say? The days became short, wet, and cold. Apart from popping out in the mornings to top up the bird table or sprinkle food for the fish, I’ve barely spent any time out there.
That said, having an exhibition tied to this project has kept me accountable. While I’ve felt a bit lackluster about writing weekly updates here on Substack, I have kept up with the weekly sketches. After weeks of not sharing these in a dedicated post (I’ve included a few in my biweekly newsletter), I thought it was time for a roundup.
I’ve found that the Winter’s bareness, while stark, also reveals the structure of the garden in ways that summer doesn’t. With the perennials cut back and the trees bare, the “skeleton” of the garden comes to the forefront. I decided this would be a good opportunity to focus on sketching the “corners” of my garden. Let’s face it, sketching the entire garden as a whole can feel overwhelming. There’s perspective, scale, texture, colour and structure to consider all at once. Breaking it down into smaller viewpoints has made it more manageable—and enjoyable.
Most of these sketches were created using photos I’ve taken, allowing me to work comfortably in my studio. They show various views of my garden. For all of these pieces, I limited myself to two pens and a black watercolour pencil. I like how the black ink, combined with simple shading, provides strong contrast, giving the sketches a bold and expressive feel. My goal was to keep the style loose and gestural—though I feel I could have pushed it much further. Loosening up is something I’m actively working on.
Overall, I’m quite pleased with how these little vignettes have come together—they capture the essence of my winter garden. They’re much more subdued compared to the vibrancy of some of my earlier sketches, but that contrast is exactly what I’m looking forward to seeing once they’re all displayed together. Hopefully, they’ll convey a true sense of the seasons unfolding throughout the year.
Watching the short video compilation below of my garden, from when I began this project in August 2024, has been a joy. Seeing the changes unfold and recalling its summer vibrancy has reignited my inspiration to explore it through sketching. And now, as January finally draws to a close—hurrah!—I’m spotting the first signs of spring. Little snowdrops are peeking out along our farm lane, bulbs are sprouting in the garden, and branches are budding with promise. 🌱🌸 Who knows what might catch my eye for next week’s sketch?
If you’d like to join me in sketching your garden each week, I’m thinking of starting a Garden Sketching Club! The idea is simple: every week, you’ll create a sketch inspired by your garden. It could be a quick pen-and-ink drawing, a detailed watercolour, or a playful pencil sketch—whatever suits your mood and style. The goal is to enjoy the process, connect with your garden, and share your creations in a private chat with others who join. We can also swap stories about what we’ve been up to in the garden, interesting things we’ve spotted, or seasonal tasks we’ve tackled. If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, let me know in the comments—I’d love to have you join!
Thank you as always for reading 🌱
See you soon x
Your winter sketches are simply beautiful! Keep drawing tools simple is my goal too! Garden sketching club is a great idea, love it!😊