Art in the garden

This week the children start their art lessons in the garden at "the Shambles" after the holidays. For this term we are going to be using clay and making sculptures ,drawing to show volume and learning about relief sculpture and creating texture. What I love most about watching children create art is their concentration and delight . When I was a child I went to a little art class at a house at Shorncliffe. I like being able to have art here at home because it is a very relaxed and stimulating environment at the same time.At the end of the lesson when everything is tidy the children are able to run around the garden and play hide and seek or have a treasure hunt.
Last year the children did some paintings and drawings that are hanging at the Doctor's surgery in Montville. I have a pet hate of Surgery waiting rooms and the pictures that they hang in them. Some how we will find some time this year to do some more pictures for the waiting room so all the patients have something different to look at.

A Book Launch "A Garden Forever" at "The Shambles"

"Narrow Water" a beautiful old fashioned rose at "The Shambles"

Readers are very welcome to join us on 24th January 2014, at 2 30pm for afternoon tea and the launch of our book "A Garden Forever" by Kyleigh and Michael Simpson.
With so much recent rain and showers there much new growth to tame. Fortunately there will also be a lot of flowers and a lush garden to share on the day.

Our latest book explores the origins of a domestic garden and how to write its history from pre-European times, through days of farming and early settlement up to the present day of ornamental gardening. The history of a garden has as much to do with people as it does the physical garden so we have included stories and impressions, recorded timelines and the many events which have attracted thousands of garden visitors. This is a picture book filled with colourful photographs, maps and drawings embedding the sense of permanence which comes from realising that our garden will outlive us through its written history as well as its physical survival.

This self-published book has been printed in Brisbane when most books are being printed in China.  The book will retail for $55.00 and a complimentary copy of “Over the Fence and Over Looked” a colourful hardcover book (2009) & Dvd “A garden in the Rain” will be included in your order while stocks last. Available from the author’s shambles@southernphone.com.au

A shrub fuchsia at "The Shambles"