August’s Vibrant Bulbs and Painting Inspiration
August is prime bulb month in Brisbane. Last year I was thwarted by the chickens so this year we made a chicken proof cutting flower garden with 6 raised black corrugated iron beds surrounded by fancy fencing wire and a cute gate. It has also kept out the local bush turkey (who we call Nelson after the bully character in the Simpsons!). Luckily they haven’t attempted to jump over it - being black I think has made it hard for them to see….
It is tricky because a lot of the winter light gets blocked by the mountains around us but despite this I’ve found that anemones (above), ranunculus, freesias, jonquils and even the odd daffodil and bluebell will grow as it gets a bit chilly in our area at this time of year.
My other favourites this time of year include jasmine (first smell of the season always a beautiful moment!). We usually also get some great sweet peas but this year the feathery girls decided to gobble these too even through fort knox wire over the top so they will be late as they reshoot.
Our backyard is rainforesty - I love the creeping elm over the logs and plan to use that in an artwork. The light is beautiful through the palms and cordylines and nearby is a beautiful creek with big boulders. The old tree in the creek photo looks to me like it has a face…
This month I started working on my first bigger canvas - started by setting up a still life setting of flowers and books, to be promptly joined by our cat Edgar Poe who had a party with the daffodils (his favourite pastime is knocking over vases) so I decided to call the artwork The Flower Hunter after his intrepid and curious nature! I had so many cute photos to choose from….
