Garden at the Edge of the Marsh

Marshside Garden

It was the end of July which meant the vegetable and flower garden was reaching its peak. My lettuce had been coming in steadily, the best lettuce year ever.  I had harvested more than a dozen cucumbers already and I was looking forward to the first batch of salsa once the dozens of green tomatoes started turning red.    The wide zinnia border in front of the vegetables was even starting to get edged out by the advancing vegetables.    Not every gardening year has been like this one, so it was gratifying to see everything doing so well!   So what better way to remember it than to record it in paint!

My purple butterfly bush had to be a prominent element for this 2014 garden painting.   When I trimmed out its dead wood in Spring, it looked quite lopsided but fortunately it sprouted symmetrically and it was in full bloom.    It towered over the rest of the garden and its purple blooms looked beautiful against the lush green marsh grasses.   It really does attract butterflies, and it also attracts bees and, occasionally, hummingbirds.

After roughing in the distant sky, tree line and marsh in more muted tones I turned my attention to the garden elements which would be most prominent.  The bright greens, yellows, reds and purples got me mixing big piles of paint that I applied impasto style - full, thick color with a palette knife.   I also included the one very large sunflower peaking out from Bob's garden beyond.

I love thick "out of the tube" paint color.


Marshside Garden