Empire and Tree Peonies

Drawing Pink Peonies for the Empire Exhibition at the Rope works Gallery,

Montrose in July and August…….

They are amazing to look at, less amazing to draw but think I’m getting there, the first Peonies arrived from China to the UK in 1795, and a Peony grown from the original plant still grows in the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. It took about 20 years to successfully get a plant back from China , the journey took several months at sea often in wild weather and then the plant had to be  propagated  successfully when it got to Kew gardens……interesting stories to tell.