Kew’s call for a new generation of artists
A new competition has launched that will give budding artists the opportunity to have their work displayed in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The Young Botanical Artist competition invites 16-25-yearolds to submit 2D botanical artworks depicting trees – it could be an entire tree, a leaf, a bud, a branch or a moss-coated trunk, as long as the work depicts a part of a tree that has inspired the artist. There will be two age categories (16-18 and 19-25), and within each category, one winner will receive £750 and two highly commended artists will each receive £250. All the shortlisted works will be showcased in an exhibition at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery. Entry closes on 30 November. For more information, visit shirleysherwood.com
A life well gardened
From newspaper clippings, to photographs, personal notes and letters, renowned plantswoman Beth Chatto kept everything. In 2015, she deposited her archives at the Garden Museum on long-term loan. Project archivist Jane Harrison has spent the past two years researching this archive – 6,000 documents in total – and in a recent edition of the Garden Museum Journal shares an in-depth collection of stories that show the remarkable contribution of Beth Chatto to horticulture throughout her lifetime. Garden Museum Journal no.40 (£10) is available to purchase at gardenmuseum.org.uk
Art on display
There’s a chance to view work by Dianna Jazwinski, garden, plant and floral photographer and regular contributor to Gardens Illustrated, at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea this month. Dianna is known for her dramatic compositions of seasonal flowers on black backgrounds, creating eye-catching pieces using all manner of plants from hellebores to dahlias. Dianna, who exhibits at Will’s Art Warehouse, is one of the artists selected by the gallery to showcase her work at the popular contemporary art expo. You will find Dianna’s work at the Will’s Art Warehouse stand. The fair takes place from 20-23 October and you can book tickets at affordableartfair.com
Autumn sparklers
Along with the welcome opportunity to explore its magnificent autumnal walks, a visit to Exbury Gardens in the New Forest this month offers a chance enjoy a dazzling display of nerines. Nerine sarniensis, also known as jewel lilies, have iridescent petals that catch the light. Exbury’s collection, begun in the 1920s by banker, politician and horticulturist Lionel de Rothschild, now boasts more than 900 different shades, from oranges and scarlets to the more newly developed purples, pinks, coppers and bronzes. Many of the new hybrids are available to purchase at the exhibition, which is open 10am-5pm and included in entry to the gardens (£11). exbury.co.uk
Bird-friendlier feeders
Finches Friend, which produces bird feeders designed to protect garden birds from the spread of diseases, has launched a new product that allows you to watch birds up close while they feed safely at the window. To celebrate the launch, Finches Friend is offering five Gardens Illustrated readers the chance to win one of its new Cleaner Window Feeders (worth £23.95). For details of how to enter the competition head to gardensillustrated.com/finchesfriend
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Thanks to a new collaboration with waste management company Veolia and garden product manufacturer Miracle-Gro, you can now return empty, cleaned compost bags to any of the 69 large Dobbies garden centres around the country. With 100 million plastic bags being used for compost, soil and chipped bark each year, and packaging historically difficult to recycle, the scheme is a welcome one. Returned bags will be processed into new products, including garden furniture and plastic films. Read more at gardensillustrated.com/recyclingscheme
Ponds with benefits
Garden writer Lia Leendertz’s annual guide to the year, The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide, is now available for 2023. The theme for the upcoming edition is the patterns of the solar system and the zodiac. The guide also follows the micro-world of the garden pond through the seasons, from tadpoles to fallen leaves, and includes ways of connecting with the seasons using resources such as moon-phase charts and tide timetables. For Lia’s tips on why it is important to have a pond in the garden, head to gardensillustrated.com/pondbenefits
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