Artist Reply: Thank you Robin! I often just sit down and start picking a color, a memory, or look through my photos for ideas. I had been out visiting my family last summer, as well as my father's grave. He loved gardening, flowers of all types. I can hear his joy when I see flowers, and recall his pride in having the neighborhoods best garden. I never minded weeding as it is relazing for me to do it. I used to sneak and plant new flowers to stump my Dad, often from my friends gardens. He loved trying to figure out what was growing. The first time he planted these, I hadn't seen them before. They were so cool to watch grow. So exotic and beautiful!

Artist Reply: Thanks Andi! I was trying to use an oil like look. I love experimenting with colors, brushes, and mediums. I was going for a hot summer memory with this one.

Artist Reply: Thank you Andrea! I am still learning to do this, and hope to continue to improve.

Artist Reply: Thank you Thea!!!!

Artist Reply: Thanks so much, my friend over the pond!

Artist Reply: Thanks Carliss! I worked on just the top of the plant, so may do some more in some different styles and tones. I was looking up varieties of the plant and will probably get some to plant in my new garden next summer. They are very tropical in look and feel.

Artist Reply: Thank you Michael! I love that these will come back up each year, and are wonderful to plant in the back of a garden because of their height and colors draw your eyes to them. Often the flowers in a garden make ou focus on what's in front.

Artist Reply: Thanks Blue Doll! zi so love flowers. They are beautiful and bring me joy to work with.

Artist Reply: Thank you Bianca! These flowers always bloom late in the summer. You have to water them well if you want the height to grow large. They are very eyecatching in a garden. The flowers always remind me of Bird of Paridise until the blossoms open up.