The Art of... feature
HER STYLE IS BEST DESCRIBED AS REALISTIC. “I work mainly in watercolor,
but also enjoy painting in oils and acrylics. For small projects, I use color pencils or
pastels.” Her garden is her main source of inspiration. “I have always enjoyed painting
flowers and butterflies and have been particular about including special plants in my
garden for butterfly habitat. I included plants for nectar, for caterpillars, and for the
butterfly chrysalis. Wanting to learn more about planting in South Carolina, I decided
to become a master gardener. The program was put on by Clemson and lasted about
three months. I learned a lot about planting in South Carolina and made some great
friends in the program. I still use the huge instructional book given to us for special
problems that occur in my garden. I am often asked gardening questions by neighbors
and friends, and I use the book as a reference. This program made me more aware of
the different ecosystems in different areas of South Carolina. An area just a few miles
from another can have very unique planting requirements.”
She contributes this love of gardening to her grandparents. “When I was in
grade school, I was able to spend the summers with my paternal grandparents in
Lynchburg, South Carolina. They had a beautiful garden, and I was intrigued by how they
planted and cared for it. I was thrilled with all the fresh vegetables and flowers growing
in the garden. My grandparents kept the garden meticulously clean. When I visited, I
was expected to help out, pulling weeds or picking tomatoes. I loved it!” When taking
the master gardener course, Rachell couldn’t help but think of her grandmother. “She
really had a green thumb. Without having a formal course, she knew which plants grew
well together and when to plant and when to harvest. She also kept the seeds from the
best plants to grow again the next year.”
Now that she has a garden of her own, Rachell tends to herbs, greens, tomatoes,
and lots of peppers. “I also plant okra along the fence line to supply support for plants
that grow six to eight feet tall. I rotate where I put the plants (just like my grandmother
did) to decrease the occurrence of disease.” She also enjoys planting flowers. “Each
year, I try to have something special. F