I first saw an astilbe blossom at the Museum of Fine Art Boston's Art in Bloom. When I found an astilbe offered for sale outside the Wild Oats Food Co-op in western Massachusetts, I bought it and planted it in my garden. It seems reasonably pleased with the place I put it. I'd hoped for some sprouts I could transplant elsewhere, but the things I thought were sprouts turned out to be tree sprouts (ash, walnut?) that had similar leaves.

This was done with conté crayon I believe. A brown wash of watercolor represents my garden soil.

July 17, 1996