A visit to the Botanical Gardens is a superb a day out at any time of the year. At Christmas I was given a year's subscription to this beautiful venue in Cambridge. I went many times during lockdown as it was a quiet, peaceful place to be due to the restricted visitors. Wandering through the gardens, each time I went I spotted something new.

I used a tall canvas and painted the two most recognisable parts of the place: the glasshouses and the fountain alongside a representation of, what is known as, the degree procession. The Gardens are part of Cambridge University and a lot of studying takes place here, but the garden is also a magnet for the locals to enjoy a beautiful green space close to the centre of Cambridge. I doubt if the degree ceremony goes through here but they represent the Gown in the title.

Painted in oil on canvas, I have made the usually immaculate lawns into a patchwork of wild flowers. I don't know how many hours/days I spent painting these millefleur with my canvas resting on the kitchen table but I was pleased when that fiddly part of the painting was completed!