The weather looked rather ominous, so I arrived early to get a jump start on my sketching. I got there 10 minutes before opening so I had a chance to do a warmup sketch from the car. As soon as you walk into the garden, you see this beautiful, heavily planted pergola framing a view overlooking the Hudson River and the Palisades. I didn't have to go any further for my first sketch. One by one, other sketchers stared to arrive. Just as I finished this, a few rain drops started to fall, so many of us made a beeline to the greenhouses.
It was a jungle in the greenhouse! I had to stand while sketching. This Staghorn Fern was gigantic and calling out to me. I don't know the name of the other plant, but it resembled coral branches.
After lunch, the drizzle stopped, and several of us went over by the lily pond. I was having a Monet moment!
Mark and I attempted to capture some of the magnificent architecture but the skys opened up, so all of us gathered under a tented patio for more sketching and conversation. This last sketch was of a beautifuly varigated leaf. I was having a bit of trouble getting watercolor down with all the humidity. By this time it was 4:30 and we all called it a day.
