Broom
A flowering broom shoots up against a whitewashed house and a deep blue sky. Acrylics on linen canvas – 46 x 61 cm.
£450.00
Flowering broom. Actually, the real name of the painting is ‘Brooommm!’ – the spikes of yellow flowers rocket into the sky with explosive force.
Broom in Guernsey
I came across this beautiful plant growing in Guernsey against the gable end of two houses side by side. The combination of the rich yellow flowers, the bright whitewash of the house, and the deep high-pressure blue of the sky was irresistible. The month is May and as I looked with wonder at this amazing display I was buzzed by a low-flying cockchafer, always a delight.
Etymology of Broom
The variety is probably the common broom, Cytisus scoparius. The word ‘broom’ comes from the same common Germanic stem that gives us ‘bramble’, meaning a thorny shrub. It is a plant of great historical and symbolic importance. The line of English kings known as the Plantagenets took their name from the Latin for broom – Planta genista. The Welsh mythological figure Blodeuwedd is a woman made by magicians from broom, meadowsweet, and oak.
You might also like these paintings of cistus or these nasturtiums. Also, have a look at this painting of Herb-Robert.
