My first attempt at big and dramatic = 24″ x 20″. Taken from pictures in Gardeners World – the end results to be framed and inflicted on the office walls. Backgrounds were done by applying colour liberally then washing it off in the shower and reapplying thus building up the layers. Felt very bohemian. 
The Alternative Grauniad Watercolour Club
To wake the soul by tender strokes of art – Alexander Pope
The Alternative Grauniad Watercolour Club 
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November 3, 2009 at 10:55 pm
janetedd
I’ve come to these a bit late and can only echo everyone else’s comments. I love the drama of the hibiscus and am very impressed by the size of these paintings, and the way you built up the backgrounds. Absolutely great.
November 3, 2009 at 8:10 pm
vivienmr
These are wonderful, especially as they are also quite large, and I too am intrigued at how you did them, as watercolours usually tend to be on the smaller side(but not sure why?) Lovely colours and I particularly like the glow in the centre of the apple blossom. You must be really pleased with these and I bet they look great on your office walls.
October 29, 2009 at 5:54 pm
davidworth
I am quite taken aback – are you so bohemian you work through the night – your output at the moment is impressive. These are big pictures yet you managed to get quite strong colours including washing them off! How much paint did you get through. My preference is for the hellebores. You must have been to the botanic picture gallery in kew because these would fit in well there.
October 29, 2009 at 1:11 pm
suemiddlesex
You certainly look bohemian (this is a compliment by the way), what a lot of fun you must have had. The apple blossom (my lack of knowledge about all things gardening is incredibly bad) is my favourite – beautiful colours, understated but still full of life. The hibiscus colours vibrate off the paper. Well done from me.
October 28, 2009 at 8:43 pm
sworth
Wow, amazing! Really vigorous and exciting. I especially like the cosmos (?) for its beautiful colour and the way it swirls like a gypsy skirt. The hellebores (? sorry, it’s not your paintings that cause the doubt but my lack of gardening knowledge) look really realistic, and more like an oil painting than watercolour. I am also pleased you included the photo of you – it’s nice to know what you look like. But did you really work with such tiny brushes for the whole thing?