Four Seasons - Botanical watercolours by June Calvert

June Calvert is a botanical watercolourist who specialised in Hellebores.

For this exhibition June has created a series of Hellebores. Nearly all singles – with only Niger and tiny Lividus able to look June in the eye – the rest hang their heads, in defiance. Once cut Hellebores go limp, so June floats them in a dish of water to ensure that they last. Her favourite grow in pots so that June can bring them inside to paint.

June’s other favourite include the Thistle relatives Cynara Scolymus (Globe Artichokes) and Cynara Cardunculous (Cardoons). Echinops, which June grows so that she can paint them every year also feature. June describes Echinops as ‘noble’ plants and tries to show these characteristics in her paintings.

A wide range of plants are featured in the exhibition, including Primula, Liliums of all sorts, Agapanthus, Camelias, including some freaks such as Triple Headed Tulips, and Narcissus bulbs with five flowers on one wide stem.