I love Azaleas and Rhododendrons and they grow well in my garden on the acid soil. 

Here is a study of Rhododendron ponticum. It has lovely orange marks on the upper petals.

 The ferns are irresistible to sketch at the moment, unfurling in every hedgerow. I'm hoping to do a fern painting when I get time. These harts tongue ferns have shiny highlights and lots of scales and hairs to convey.
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I bought 2 new paintbrushes from Rosemary and co. (www.rosemaryandco.com/) , on a recommendation from a friend. They are superb and now my favourites. I highly recommend them too.

Sketching Spring

After a hectic weekend at work, I have begun sketching spring subjects in earnest. I wandered up to Trawscoed lake and sketched some Wood Sorrel there in the evening sunlight. (Rare at the moment!!)

Ladies Smock or Cuckoo flower, Cardamine pratensis; a favourite wild flower of mine. It is very common around here growing in damp meadows (and on the garden lawn at work).

 -and Pratensis means 'of a meadow'.
The orange tip butterfly usually lays its eggs on this plant among other crucifers.

 Like the wood Sorrel ,this flower has delicate mauve veins, nice to paint.

I found this Columbine at the roadside, a beautiful pale blue. I've never seen one this colour before,usually dark blue,purple or pink. Had to sketch it.

The beautiful Azalea luteum has the most divine scent. A pleasure to draw by.

Spring Sketches and Tree photography

Heres a sketch of 2 different colour varieties of bluebell and primrose. The pink primrose was found growing wild in my garden,not a shop bought Polyanthus and the white bluebells are sometimes seen, standing out in a swathe of blue.

A sketch of Violet and Herb Robert, splashes of spring colour.

Bluebells and shadows at Black Covert; colour and contrast.

An old oak tree covered in lush fern growth along the river Ystwyth.

The beautiful ancient sessile oak woodlands of the Rheidol valley near to Devils bridge.

And see the peaceful trees extend,

Their myriad leaves in leisured dance,

They bear weight of sky and cloud,

Upon the fountain of their veins.

Kathleen Raine