Bergamot

Bergamot or bee balm, Monarda didyma is a fragrant herbaceous American plant with intensely coloured, complex flowers in late summer, attractive to bees & other insects which in turn are of interest to small birds such as this female fairy wren

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Painted & drew throughout childhood. Awarded school art prize. Interested in art as in books & visiting galleries. Loved nature & science, BSc (zool & botany) Monash. Taught secondary & special ed. Painting skills very useful in teaching eg drawing portraits is very calming for difficult students! Studied botanical art with Jenny Phillips, use this method of watercolour to do exquisite detail of mammals & birds, like combining with plants & invertebrates to emphasise importance of ecological relationships. Numerous awards for wildlife art in rotary shows, donations of works for auctions for environmental groups. Commissions for portraits.