The Australian Garden

G and I lived in Australia for a while and the vast, epic landscape of that inimitable country has a fond place in our hearts so when we came across this scene in a little botanical garden just south of Santa Barbara we were beyond thrilled. It was strewn with the most amazing collection of native shrubs and flowers indigenous only to Australia, plants with names like Yellow Buttons, Kangaroo Paws with their unique furry flowers and, my favourite, Red Rod Emu Bush. I mean, how Aussie can you get?! It was like being transported to Australia while standing in the sunshine in southern California and what a joy it was to paint!