Glorious sunshine all weekend for the Garden Festival. The interior of the church looked beautiful and I thought the various displays of paintings, photographs and woodcarvings looked very attractive in the cool light of the church.
My display of local landscape and flower paintings.
Yvonne Kirby's display of botanical paintings.
I took the opportunity to have a look at the Medieval Dovecote in the Hall Gardens. I had done a series of paintings in 1988 when this property was owned by the Coal Board and in a state of disrepair.
'Dovecote Barnburgh' small watercolour gouache.
'Old Barn Barnburgh 1988' oil on board, 30"x16".
It was interesting to see all the improvements made over the years . What was once a decrepit old barn, now four very desirable cottages, and the dovecote repaired, now set in parkland with the most wonderful views over the surrounding countryside.
I only had time to visit one of the open gardens and that was Manor Farm in Harlington, a lovely informal cottage garden with a orchard, bees and swallows swooping overhead, and lots of lovely flowers.
Sign acrylic on wood
Two interesting nests on display.....
Wasps nest
Bumblebees nest
....and of course honey for sale!!
The sun shone from dawn till dusk both Saturday and Sunday. I met some new and interesting people and some old friends and I had a very good weekend indeed.
