I go into the garden to draw a one-out, one-in story about new growth and moulted feathers. But today, the garden has colours to show me.
The fennel is reaching its mid-point between flower and seed. It's full of colour I'm not expecting – dusty blue, turquoise, mauve, blended with cool green and warm yellow, pale ribs to sketch in. Soon, it'll be ready to harvest for cooking and sowing, stems for plant props. But for now, it sways in the sunshine, still busy with hoverflies.
Halfway through my sketch, a holly blue butterfly comes visiting, pausing on the hydrangea, so I swap in another piece of paper. It turns, showing me its colours. I hold as many of them as I can in my head before it flutters off...
The sprawling early Summer stems of wild sweet peas have popped out their seeds and taken on a dusty mid-century palette of purple, ochre and lime green, ribbed and speckled like tweed. A snail sits, brooch-like, sporting a two-directional pattern.
I've used my usual watercolours but today, with almost-dry brushstrokes and some wax-resist to catch the mood of late Summer.
Ballpen, watercolour, fineliner and wax-resist on handed-down watercolour paper.
Rose sketches from this project are available as greeting cards, from the Garden Museum shop in London and at Hackney Wick Underground.
On my Teemill shop, watercolour and line sketches on t-shirts and tote bags.