Fun morning to sketch at Soos Creek Botanical Garden

We had a small but mighty turnout at Soos Creek Botanical Garden in Auburn.  The weather was perfect...warm and dry.  The lily pads on Schaefer Pond Garden were interesting, as were the hydrangeas and countless other botanical plants and gardens.

Thanks to Kate for organizing.

The throwdown

Urban Sketchers at Soos Creek

Sunny day at Soos Creek

We had a beautiful day for sketching in Soos Creek Botanical Garden yesterday.  We had a little less time than usual due to ending early so some of us could attend the talk about crows held in the pavilion. 

I also had more of a wander around and discovered the dragon sculpture I've never seen before!  This garden is not far from where I live so I've visited at least a couple times a year for many years.  I chose to do a montage on a double page.

 

 

Early Signs

The theme for the week in the Urban Sketchers Flickr group is "early signs of spring". Puget Sound area has had such a cold late winter, pre-spring, that not much is showing around my area.

The weather today definitely felt like spring. I checked and found Soos Creek Botanical Garden is open again for the season so that was my afternoon destination. I did find some early signs of spring there. 

This was the only planting of daffodils blooming in the close-in garden.  

Then I found an "early Rhododendron" and used the bell to frame a portion of it.  

This is a little clump of hellebores.  I don't consider them an early sign of Spring.  They are nicknamed the "Christmas Rose" or the "Lenten Rose".  Mine have have blooming since January!  There were dozens of clumps of them in the garden. 

Autumn

  Ahhh, it's finally Autumn.  I do not like what has become our long, hot, dry summer.  With the equinox today, I was eager to find some fall colors.  The trees in my area haven't quite turned yet.  

Yesterday I went looking for pumpkins and found a very nice display at my local hardware store.  

I also met the display designer, who is a multi-faceted artist.  I enjoyed seeing photos of his work in so many media: paint, jewelry, fiber, paper, etc. 

Today I went to my favorite local garden: Soos Creek Botanical in Auburn.  I didn't even get out of the parking lot area before I plopped down to sketch the very tall sunflowers. 

There were also many flowers still in bloom. It started to sprinkle just as I finished so I didn't do another sketch.  I might go back tomorrow to sketch them.  

-by Kate Buike

Between the rain drops

A group of intrepid sketchers  braved some occasional but brief showers to sketch around the Soos Creek Botanical Garden yesterday.


Carolyn had her own solution to rain protection!  





During a rain shower, I sheltered under an tent in the vegetable garden area. I sketched what was in view: bright flowers and a horse trailer. Learned from the Master Gardeners who grow the vegetables that they donate what they grow to a local food bank. Today they estimated about 50 pounds of fresh fruit and veg was going out to them!



I couldn't resist the little red wagons and pumpkins. It's must really be Fall if the pumpkins are out.


Lots more photos, particularly of flowers.


-- by Kate Buike

Garden in the Sun

What a beautiful day!  Sunny and warm.  I checked that Soos Creek Botanical Garden is now open for the year again.   It's not very far from my home and a beautiful place to sketch with several different garden environments.  It's just a bit north of Pierce County. 

I had intended to sketch a sculptural fence I'd seen there last time but it was gone.  So I sketched a small bridge and then a large bell.





On my way home, I stopped at my favorite view point for Mt. Rainier and did another sketch.

Pumpkins at Soos Creek

The Tacoma Urban Sketchers went to Spooner Farm to sketch the pumpkin patch.  I missed the outing as I had out of town guests.

But I still got in a pumpkin sketch!

My friends wanted to go for a walk in the crisp fall air.  I took them to the Soos Creek Botanical Garden just over the line in Auburn. I almost couldn't decide between walking and sketching.  I'd walked there a few times before, so sketching won out, as soon as I saw this scene with pumpkins.





Some photos are here.