Dear Friends,
Summer has started, and I've already managed to get in the mood with some sunny beach activities. I can't wait to get back on the water. As promised, I'm writing a little botanical garden summary in which I'd like to share some of my own experiences, almost all of which took place during a summer trip. I have already written a more general letter about gardens, but here I thought I would recap some of my botanical garden experiences.
The botanical garden is one of my top places for sketchbook drawing. When I'm not thinking about the final result, I'm just interested in the colors and shapes. Actually, it's possible that it's also one of the best exercises for me when I have no goal at all with the drawing and don't care about the end result; only the process matters. As I was collecting memories, it emerged that the palm tree and tropical plant-filled parks remain most memorable for me. Here are some of them!
Jardim da Estrela Park
I have several favorite places in Lisbon. One of them is this little park with ducks and palm trees. Nearby is a huge, beautiful cemetery and a stunning basilica.
Jardim Botânico de Lisboa
Here, I was mostly struck by the cacti, a huge sprawling area that I didn't manage to draw all the way through.
Jardim da Quinta Magnólia
In Madeira, and more specifically in the capital Funchal, there are several places where you can pick up a pen. One of them is this little park overlooking the ocean, which I could easily approach and sometimes even sneak in a coffee.
Jardim Botânico da Madeira
The official botanical garden in Funchal, a hillside botanical garden with an aviary, a natural history museum, greenhouses, sea views, and amazing buildings. It features a palm and hydrangea collection. This part reminded me of Sintra. I had so little time there that, unfortunately, I couldn't sit down for more than 5 minutes.
Gardens of Sragen
Moving away from the Portuguese world and even Europe, here are some real tropical landscapes—some drawings from Indonesia. These locations are exceptional in the sense that they were not taken in a botanical garden, but I couldn't miss the madness of the sprawling plants I experienced there. These pictures were taken in a typical Indonesian garden, where in one day a broken tree branch sprouted, or in a few weeks a banana garden grew. This chaotic vegetation, incredibly rich and growing at a crazy pace, is captured in the drawings.
Tea Plantations
It's not hard to come across tea plantations when you're in Java, whose constant humid, gloomy atmosphere has always fascinated me.
Finally, back in Europe, here's a domestic block.
Folly Arboretum
There are also some arboretums with beautiful views, such as the Folly Arboretum overlooking Lake Balaton, where a winery also operates. It is the best holiday doodling spot for me in the country.
Fűvészkert
An example from Budapest, this is the most accessible botanical garden for me at the moment. Here, I was able to indulge my admiration for palms thanks to the greenhouses. However, the spring spectacle of the outdoor garden can surpass that for me.
This was to be the first summer newsletter of the year. I hope I managed to highlight some exciting places. If you have any beautiful botanical gardens to share, please send them to me!
Have a great summer!
Sending Love
Ágnes
Hi, I’m Ágnes, a passionate illustrator and animated filmmaker from Hungary.
I'm obsessed with colorful drawings, funny characters, and nature-inspired illustrations. My work fields include editorial illustration, children’s book illustration, brand illustration, animated film, and gifs. Besides commissions, I teach animation and illustration at an art school in Budapest.