The Walled Garden, Sunbury upon Thames

Went to the Dodgers outing just down the road from me in Sunbury.  Well kept, formal garden with good café and exhibition space (designed by a former colleague David Brown) primarily for their Millennium Tapestry.  And well worth a visit. 

Gardens are not my preference but I had to deliver paintings for the Artful Dodgers’ exhibition….they have chosen 8 – which is flattering.  The exhibition starts in The Corner House, Tolworth and will then move to Kingston Parish Church from 9th May to 4th of June.

Here's my 8...

​​As I say I’m not hugely into gardens but there is a pretty fine formal arch which looked fun.  The drawing worked but midway through the wash ‘lost it a bit’….the strong shadows helped the rescue operation.

Whilst writing about gardens I have to go to London on a regular basis for a few weeks.  No hassle I love it.  Decided to do a sketch each visit.  Interesting discipline and to find that after a few it was all buildings….fine ones at that but a bit ‘samey’.  London has a myriad of squares some public but like this one in Onslow Square some are private for the residents of the magnificent Regency houses round it.  Here’s my bit of light relief and a couple of buildings….needed a deal of care to draw the curves of the first floor conservatory.  I think they are about right.  Makes sense to have one higher up to look out onto the gardens.

​One day who should I meet but my old friend Ken Howard….

 ….needless to say I did not show him my sketches.  He’s such an approachable person he’d have said something nice, but it would have been embarrassing!