Like many people, I love gardening and being outside, so I’m always looking for new ways to connect with nature. This is why I was so happy to find Lorene Edwards Forkner’s new book, “Color In and Out of the Garden.” This one-of-a-kind book includes ideas for noticing colors in nature, painting simple watercolors, and becoming more mindful, all while enjoying the beauty of gardens.
An Invitation to Truly See the Colors of Nature
In our busy modern lives, it’s easy to rush past the subtle details of nature without really stopping to appreciate them. ‘Color In and Out of the Garden’ encourages readers to sharpen their powers of observation and focus attention on the lovely palette that exists in gardens and the natural world.
Each chapter is organized by color and helps you see the many shades that exist in flowers, leaves, bark, stones, and other things. As an example, the hard-to-define “blue” flower comes in many shades, such as cobalt, denim, borage, sky, midnight, and larkspur. When we pay attention to these small differences, we can see flowers and plants we normally see in a new way.
As Forkner writes, “The process of truly seeing allows us to tease out the myriad of color threads in each object Attention allows deeper inspection and retrospection.” Taking time to observe a single blossom or leaf can reveal surprises about color and deepen our connection with nature
Simple, Meditative Watercolors to Capture Natural Hues
The book not only encourages you to observe with awareness, but it also gives you simple ideas for painting plants and other natural things in watercolor. The point isn’t to make perfect art; it’s to copy the colors you see as a way to see more deeply.
Forkner shows off her colorful watercolor paintings and tells you how to mix the right paints for each color scheme. The paintings help reinforce what you notice while observing nature. “When you think about a single flower, you may be surprised at how much you can see,” writes Forkner. “.
Making casual watercolors becomes a mindfulness exercise that builds focus, appreciation, and connection with nature. And you end up with beautiful paintings capturing the colors of the garden!
Cultivating Mindfulness and Joy in the Garden
While focusing on color, the book weaves in inspiring reflections on gardening, nature, food, and finding meaning in small daily practices. Forkner shares how her daily 100-day painting practice brought comfort after a devastating personal loss and evolved into a years-long meditative ritual.
Her book highlights how tuning into natural beauty fosters gratitude, presence, and an appreciation for fleeting moments. As she writes, “This collection of careful color studies of botanical treasures is offered out to us by the knowing hands of a gardener, the refined eye of an artist, the time-tested taste of a cook, and the heart of a compassionate mother.”
‘Color In and Out of the Garden’ ultimately provides encouragement to live fully and find joy in ordinary moments – through color, nature, food, gardens, and art.
Who Would Enjoy This Book?
This unique book would appeal to a wide range of readers, including:
- Gardeners looking to engage more deeply with plants and nature
- Artists interested in simple watercolor techniques
- Cooks who value fresh, seasonal ingredients
- Nature lovers seeking mindfulness practices
- Anyone searching for inspiration to live with intention
It’s a magnificent book for awakening your senses and rediscovering the beauty around you.
My Key Takeaways
Here are some of my biggest takeaways from reading ‘Color In and Out of the Garden’:
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Slow down and pay closer attention to see the amazing range of colors in nature. Make time to truly observe.
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Watercolor paintings of natural specimens reinforce appreciation and observation. Don’t worry about perfection.
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Mindfully engaging with nature fosters gratitude, presence, and connection. Escape from the daily rush.
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Find inspiration in small daily practices like painting, gardening, and cooking with intention.
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Live fully in each moment and notice fleeting beauty. Slow down to appreciate life.
A Rejuvenating Read for Any Nature Lover
For gardeners, artists, cooks, and anyone seeking inspiration, ‘Color In and Out of the Garden’ is a rejuvenating read. It highlights how engaging deeply with nature and practicing mindfulness can cultivate joy and intention in daily life. If you’re looking for encouragement to live with attention, appreciation, and connection with the natural world, I highly recommend this uplifting new book. It will open your eyes to the subtle beauty right outside your door.
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In preparation for May and Mother’s Day here in the US, this week we’re in conversation with Lorene Edwards Forkner, a gardener, a writer, a cook, a mother, a daughter, the garden columnist for the Seattle Times, and known as gardenercook on-line. Lorene joins CP this week to share more about her artistic garden-based daily practice for the last 4 years, which has resulted in the new book: Color in and Out of the Garden, Watercolor Practices for Painters, Gardeners, and Nature Lovers, out now from Abrams Press. The practice and the book are invitations to lean into her own mission statement in life, seen primarily through the lens of the garden: “look closely, with great heart”. A good blessing for all mothering souls in the world.
s courtesy of Lorene Edwards Forkner, all rights reserved.