Ribes uva-crispa

The Tradescants were 17th century gardeners who introduced many new plants to England. More than 160 varieties of fruit were listed amongst the inventory of plants grown at the Tradescants nursery in Lambeth, many of which are illustrated in the Orchard. The Garden Museum invited 40 of the worlds leading botanical artists to paint watercolours of fruit in response to the Orchard.

Marianne’s development as a botanical artist has been gradual, starting with photography and then feeling the urge to paint instead. She took a course with Anne-Marie Evans, which she enjoyed so much that she hasn’t stopped since. This gooseberry grew in the garden of a fellow botanical artist. She particularly liked the colours of the fruit and relished the challenge of trying to depict its transparency.