The Lady of Shallot
The RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
All of a sudden it’s that time of year again to be thinking about the Hampton Court Flower Show. It is one of the floral highlights of my year, with the Royal Horticultural Society pulling out all the stops as always to make the event pretty memorable.
Over passed years I have given talks for the RHS about my Botanical Illustration. This year however I have been fortunate to engage in a rather exciting collaboration with Dreamlodge who are the main sponsor for the Rose Marquee. As a unique idea, Dave Green from the RHS put me in touch with Dreamlodge with an idea to combine my drawing skills and to produce an Illustrated Rose.
David Austin Roses
Of course a far to good opportunity to pass up, I was absolutely delighted to have the chance to do some live drawing at such a prestigious event. As another nice way to connect with the Rose Marquee, I decided to contact Michael Marriott of David Austin Roses to see if we could work together to produce a pretty special Botanical Illustration.
David Austin Roses was founded back in the early 1950’s and is now one of the Worlds most renowned growers of some absolutely spectacular varieties. Rose breeding is often described as much of an Art as it is Science. This of which strikes a deep chord within my heart as I am trying within many of my Illustrations to combine the very same divine collaborations. I met Michael Marriott at Hampton Court Palace back in 2014 and he very kindly took the time to look at my Botanical Illustrations and discuss a mutual appreciation for roses and the finer details. It is from this connection that I have sought advice between my own personal choices and that of the specialists of which Rose to Illustrate.
Michael Marriot of David Austin Roses and myself 2014
Hampton Court Palace
The Lady of Shallot
The rose I felt best suited to represent is one of David Austin’s best sellers. With a spectacular colouring and form, from an illustrators point of view, the Rose we chose is ‘The Lady of Shallot’. This particular rose is also one of recipients of the prestigious RHS Garden Merit Award. The young buds are a fabulous rich orange-red, opening to form chalice-shaped blooms, filled with loosely arranged petals. Each petal has a salmon-pink upper side which contrasts beautifully with the attractive golden-yellow reverse.
This striking chalice shape means that the undersides of the petals are clearly seen, revealing wonderful glimpses of the deeper apricot colour in the heart of the bloom. I wonder if there was a thought to John William Waterhouse’s ‘The Lady of Shallot’ painting and the warm red and peachy tones caught in the light of her hair. Or whether it perhaps came from Lord Tennyson’s poem, either way, there is a light pleasant, warm tea fragrance, with hints of spiced apple and cloves. Evocative of days gone by, and traditional in either of the mentioned creatives, this delightful rose certainly has a romantic air about it. Beyond the aesthetics and scent this rose will prolifically bloom all summer, and a joy to all Artist’s and Gardener’s.
Comte de Chambord in progress
A smattering of rain on the Lady of Shallot
Live Botanical Illustration
Over the next coming weeks on the build up to the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show I will putting in some long hours in the studio. Working on the Botanical Illustration of the ‘Lady of Shallot’ Rose, firstly photographing my subject and working on the composition and then the process of carefully layering tones of colour in colour pencil and gouache. I shall be taking my Illustration with me upto Hampton Court and working on it live from the Dreamlodge exhibit at the show. I really am enthused about this Illustration and can’t wait to start rendering all of those fabulous apricot and salmon hues. Please come along and see how it’s progressing if you can make it to the show, and look out for my future posts on techniques and tips for Botanical Illustration.