Who better to kick off our Bud sessions with than Botanical Artist, Kelly Higgs who's obsession with painting flowers started before she can remember. She has spent her life researching the original naturalist masters, and honing her skill with watercolours and very fine brushes, using these techniques in her work, combining the classic elements of design in a fresh new way. Here is what she has to say about her love of plants.
When did your passion for plants start and what sparked it?
I grew up on a farm in Zululand where there were so many beautiful colorful plants everywhere. I started drawing flowers at a very young age, I have been deeply attracted to them all my life.
What benefits do plants bring to your life?
Plants bring pure, natural, glorious beauty into my life! The colours and perfectly intricate forms of every flower, the vibrant greens of leaves, and the beautiful fragrance of plants inspire me constantly.
Why do you think plants are so important to have in a home?
For me plants are vital in a home as they make any space feel alive and beautifully enhanced just by existing in a room. In every interior book or magazine, my eye is immediately drawn to the plants in the photographs, and I find that flowers are usually the focal point of beauty.
What is your favourite plant at the moment, and why?
I have always just adored a growing orchid in any interior space, there is nothing more effortlessly perfect. Fiddle leaf figs also make me very happy with their stunning leaves. We have just spent time at a friends magnificent farm in the Eastern Cape where there are Spekboom trees several hundred years of age - I adore them, and even a few branches picked and placed in a vase of water makes a beautiful centerpiece on the table.
What are your top plant parenting tips?
I have to confess that I am not a great plant parent at all! I do know that orchids must not be overwatered and need to drain rather than sit in a wet base, but other than that I often tend to end up with dead plants despite my passion for them while they’re alive.
Have you ever had a serious plant fail?
I’ve had many dead plants that I’ve sadly had to throw out!
What did you learn from it?
Sorry I haven’t learnt much!!.... oh except that cut roses don’t like to live in a container made of silver, they definitely seem to wilt more quickly.
If your plants could talk, what one thing would they tell us about you as a plant mom?
They would definitely tell you that I love them with all my heart, and appreciate, admire and feel their wonderful energy all the time!
We love Kelly’s relatable honesty and getting to know more about the inspiration behind the incredible artwork she creates.
You can follow her work on
Instagram: @kellyhiggsbotanicalart
Facebook: Kelly Higgs Botanical Art
Watch this space to see who we have next month on our Bud sessions!
