Trees in the Botanic gardens

It's well over a year since we were in the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin. If you're ever in Dublin as a tourist, it's definitely a place I'd recommend (there is a link to the Google Street View of the gardens on their site if you don't get a chance to go there). It's also a great day out if you just like trees and flowers. We saw it in the spring, with daffodils and magnolias, and it was gorgeous. There is a lot more in it than I would have thought. We should go back, maybe in the autumn.

Anyways, the many photos we took there inspired me greatly. One of my Zazzle designs was drawn from a photograph of succulents in the greenhouse. And I am now coming back to some other pictures that I like.

I'm currently trying to apply some of the tips and techniques I've learned in Powerful Watercolour Landscapes. A lot of the author's advice is about how to bring the focus to your center of interest, using contrast & colour for instance. In my first attempt here, I'm really not sure I succeeded, though I am quite happy with the 2nd tree from the left. But I think that the riot of colours in the pond steals the show! And all the colours are kind of medium in intensity. That's not what I wanted...

So, I'm working on my 2nd attempt already. I'm going to try and focus on the dark water and the red lillies. Stage One is complete - The water is nice and dark. I'm off to a good start! (PS: don't worry about the white bits - they will be the red and green water plants)