Cherry Blossoms!

On a chilly and dreary Friday, one of the plein air groups met at Descanso Gardens.  The gardens are always a treat with so many plants to see.  We're never sure exactly what will be blooming or what they've planted for a show of color.  

It turned out that some cherry trees were in bloom beside the pond near the entrance.  Rain was predicted so it seemed like the pretty blooms would be gone in a few days.  The atmosphere seemed Monet-like to me with the hazy blues and cool colors of the pond and flowers.  At the pond there was also a tulip magnolia with some dark pink flowers remaining.  I decided to try a view of the cherry trees across the pond in gouache, and I would add the tulip tree in the foreground.  A year ago I painted a different variety of cherry tree at Descanso and posted that watercolor in Cherry Trees!  As my gouache was looking almost complete, I thought the foreground tree wouldn't work out after all.  Maybe if I was doing a larger painting I could have included it.  I added a female mallard instead.  She had two suitors following her every move.          

5 x 7" Gouache

Cherry blossoms

Descanso is famous for their camellias 

The lilac garden was just starting to bloom