These are an invaluable source as they detail so many weird and wonderful species – many of which I'd never see growing here in Scotland. When my grandfather passed away I inherited his library of botanical reference books. The woodlands were dark, mysterious places with lots of fallen trees to climb and curious little leafy hiding places for beasts of the real or imagined variety. Whilst the gardens influenced my first book, the sprawling forestry and woodlands which surround them and creep up the mountainside of Goatfell (an extinct volcano studded with crystals!) is where my second book, Enchanted Forest has its roots. Much of the inspiration for Secret Garden came from those early days I spent playing in the gardens and helping my grandfather at his work.
There was a formal walled garden, complete with precision planted flowers beds, honeysuckle-clad pergolas and a beautiful sundial at its centre.īasford inherited her grandfather's library of botanical books, which are an invaluable reference source The gardens were an amazing place for a child with a big imagination to be allowed to roam free and play.
My grandfather was the head gardener at Brodick Castle gardens there and we would visit him and my grandmother for summer and Christmas holidays. The books take their inspiration from my childhood holidays spent on the Isle of Arran on the west coast of Scotland. They got back to me that day and said to go for it! And with that, the inky adventure began! What's the inspiration behind your illustrations? I sat in my studio and drew the first five pages, then emailed them to my editor. They weren't sure if colouring in for grown ups was silly and if there would be any demand for books like this. This was four years ago, before the worldwide trend for adult colouring kicked off, so you can imagine how quiet my editor went.
Basford's first book Secret Garden has sold over a million copies
0 kommentar(er)
