Botanical Art by Laura Watson

  One of my favourite things about keeping a country diary is that it doesn't have to be completed all at once. In fact, this July page began with just one small subject - a fresh green  Garry oak acorn . Over the week I slowly added sketches and paintings inspired by my nature walks, allowing the page to grow over time. Unlike my previous country diary project from 2024, I decided to start this page on a whim the last day of July at 11 pm! What began as a single acorn became a collection of July memories. I went through my Google Photos from the entire montn and picked out images to paint and memories to write about. This was a really fun way to "sum up the month" during the last hours of July. If you've ever wanted to start a nature journal or country diary, but felt overwhelmed by blank pages, here are five lessons I've learned. 1. Start Small You don't need to fill an entire page in one sitting. My July page began with a single Garry oak acorn tha...

  Bearberry by Laura Watson Common Name: Bearberry Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (pronounced Ark-toh-STAF-ih-los OO-vah-UR-see ) Family: Ericaceae ( Heath family ) Habitat: Dry, open slopes, rocky outcrops, coastal bluffs, and pine forests Bloom Time: Spring Range: Widespread across Canada and the northern United States A Groundcover of Strength and Beauty Bearberry is one of those quiet plants that often goes unnoticed — a resilient, low-growing evergreen that carpets rocky slopes and dry hillsides across the Pacific Northwest . It thrives where little else will, spreading in glossy green mats that hold the soil together and provide shelter for mosses, lichens, and insects. Here on Vancouver Island , I often find Bearberry growing behind my home in Harewood Plains , weaving through the sun-baked rocks and thin soil alongside native stonecrops and kinnikinnick moss . It’s a place where spring wildflowers appear in vibrant bursts — and Bearberry, with i...

Rowan Tree by Laura Watson In my latest native plant feautre I’m exploring one of my favorite autumn highlights — Mountain Ash , also known as Rowan. The true native Rowan of British Columbia is Western Mountain Ash (Sorbus scopulina) , a shrubby tree that grows on forest edges and mountain slopes across western North America . Its clusters of creamy-white blossoms in late spring and its brilliant orange-red berries in autumn make it a spectacular plant to observe and record in a nature journal . For this feature, I am also including the European Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia) — a very common, non-native species that was introduced to BC as an ornamental tree and has since naturalized in many areas. I’m especially excited about this feature because I’m collaborating with Latvian artist Kristine Rapohina of Kristine Art to paint Sorbus aucuparia, bringing together two continents through the beauty of a shared botanical subject. Check out our YouTube video collaboration You ca...

Watercolour and ink Tiger Lily by Laura Watson Lilium columbianum , known as the Tiger Lily, is a vibrant native wildflower of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest . With its brilliant orange petals speckled in dark spots and gracefully curling tips, this striking lily lights up summer meadows and forest edges. A proud member of the Lily family (Liliaceae), it is one of the tallest and most dramatic native wildflowers in our region, reaching heights of up to 1.5 meters in ideal conditions. Blooming in midsummer, the Tiger Lily is beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies , and by artists who are drawn to its fiery palette and bold structure. Its presence in the landscape is both energising and ephemeral, reminding us to pause and marvel at wild beauty when it appears. I first discovered Tiger Lilies as a child while walking to catch the school bus. Tiger lilies used to bloom along the roadside in late spring where I lived on Southern Vancouver Island . Lilium columbianum , Tiger L...

Fairy Slipper Orchid , Calypso bulbosa by Laura Watson Calypso bulbosa , more commonly known as the Fairy Slipper Orchid, is one of the most enchanting spring wildflowers found in British Columbia and across the Northern Hemisphere. A member of the Orchid family ( Orchidaceae ), this delicate plant is instantly recognisable by its vibrant magenta petals, slipper-shaped pouch, and golden beard-like fringes that adorn the lip of the flower. Despite its showy appearance,  C. bulbosa  is elusive, shy, sensitive, and often hidden in the quiet hush of old-growth forests. An early childhood memory of mine is being out in the woods with my sisters when we lived in a small community on Northern Vancouver Island . I recall my oldest sister pointing out the beautiful and mysterious orchid to us. This native orchid is a dream for botanical artists . It demands close observation and gentle handling. Rarely growing in large numbers, the Fairy Slipper is a species that invites reverence, bo...

Coastal Pink Fawn Lily , Erythronium revolutum , by Laura Watson Erythronium , commonly known as fawn lilies , glacier lilies , or dogtooth violets , are spring ephemerals that bring a burst of grace and colour to the forest floor. These charming members of the Lily family ( Liliaceae ) are easy to recognise by their nodding, lily-like flowers, paired basal leaves , and slender, arching stems. Their presence is often short-lived, making them a treasured early spring discovery for naturalists and artists alike. In this article, we’ll explore three native species of Erythronium found across British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest : Erythronium revolutum — Pink Fawn Lily Erythronium oregonum — Giant White Fawn Lily Erythronium grandiflorum — Yellow Glacier Lily Each one is distinct in its colour palette, habitat preferences, and ecological role—yet all are beloved signs of spring's arrival. Coastal Pink Fawn Lily,  Erythronium revolutum , by Laura Watson Erythronium revolutum...