Southampton Hillier Gardens late summer

Southampton Hillier Gardens late summer

This oil painting of one of the beautiful landscaped gardens in the county of Hampshire, at Hillier Gardens, near to Romsey and Southampton, in the UK. The garden was set up in 1953 by Sir Harold Hillier and now covers 180 acres. The collection covers a diverse collection of hardy trees and shrubs from around the world. This oil painting illustrates the main lake in the center of the gardens, during late summer. The large amount of trees makes the landscape seem quite dark, but the bright reflection in the water helps to balance out the tones within the painting. A woman standing on the small, wooden bridge, adds a focus point within the composition. I had painted a similar view a few months before using acrylics rather than oil paint.

Painted in 2012 on a 16" x 20" canvas. 

Southampton Hillier Gardens late summer