Dawyck in details

As it was such a beautiful day I decided to take an Artist Date and made my way to the Dawyck Botanical Gardens where I was the only visitor till about half an hour before I left. The garden re-0pened again on the 1st February after its winter closure. Sadly many trees suffered damage during the winter gales we've had, resulting in either entire trees being lost or many branches fallen down. The staff was in the process of clearing it all up. But I walked on the frosty paths entirely by myself, lost in thought apart from stopping to take pictures.

And it struck me how often I take pictures of the details rather than the whole. The macro setting of my camera is almost permanently in use whereas the landscape one hardly gets a look in. I must love detail and that must be why I'm prepared to spend hours, days and yes, even months, handsewing, stitching on thousands of beads and adorning with lots of buttons. I like to know that my quilts are of interest, even when you stand with your nose on top of them! And somehow this is part of my nature and comes out when I'm taking photographs too. But who could resist the wonderful old sculptured pots like the one at the top, or the fantastic lichen shapes on the trees.

And finally, just to prove that occasionally I can take the bigger picture too, above is Dawyck chapel and graveyard. How could I resist taking in a graveyard during my Artist's Date although sadly you can't get inside this burial ground.

There was also a beautiful exhibition called The Nature of Metal, by Jackie Roberts. She now lives and works on the Maltese island of Gozo but used to be the first press officer employed by Dawyck, so has a real connection with the garden which can clearly be traced in her work. Still on till the 29th April and to visit the exhibition only there is no charge. However I'm sure you wouldn't be able to resist a walk outside for which there is a fee unless you are (as we are) a Member of the Botanics.