Japanese Anemone and roses

I thought I posted more often, from my phone while at my moms but as I look around I sadly only see one post! I was visiting with my mom in Northern California. She lives in the country, surrounded by vineyards and redwoods, a truly magical and remarkable place. She is 80 but manages to landscape and care for 5 acres of land nestled close to the redwood forest. It is a constant struggle to keep nature from taking back its land as she doesn't appreciate an overgrown woodland appearance for her yard. She is determined to carve out her Shangri-la here. The Redwoods, although messy, provide a wonderful canopy where she can grow things she loves like Rhododendroms and hydrandeas, exotic trees and shrubs of all kinds. Her love of nature and gardening is where I get my love for the outdoors. She was always outside when her busy interior design business allowed. I felt inspired to try to paint it all, trying to capture the essence of her efforts. The mulch and rain provided by nature and some by my mom help to create a place where her magic soil makes everything grow to huge sizes. Her eye for design is evident everywhere you look in her yard. I will share many more of my sketches while I was visiting her place in the next few days.

The first is Japanese Anemones a bit invasive but they poke up through the ferny base under the trees with their brightly colored flowers

Next is the 75" arbor covered in roses that my mom put in to be able to have wedding on her property. She envisioned the bride walking down under the arbor to the waiting gazebo to get married. The only bad part is that none of the guest would be able to see her walking down the aisle so I think that is just for looks now. Finally, an antique chinese pot is the home for a angle wing begonia at the foot of the stairs.