UC Botanical Garden, Berkeley

Watercolors, Brush pen, InkJoy ballpoint pens

A visit to the University of California Botanical Garden in the Berkeley hills is a joyful experience, especially this spring, in a banner year for blooms.

I didn't get much further into the garden than the entry kiosk, where a riot of color and form drew my attention.

A sucker for the ol' nature/urban interface, I added the utility pole to the sketch. The pole's a sunny perch for hummingbirds and it's covered in a tangle of dead vines. I had a giggle when a passing garden visitor said she liked the drawing but she "would've left the pole out."