Door to a Secret Garden
Nashville, Tennessee
Painting #32 – August 27, 2021
acrylic on canvas 24"W x 18"H
gallery wrapped/painted on edges
$375.00
The first house we bought in Nashville was in the historic Richland-West End neighborhood, which is about three miles west of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. We lived there for eight years before moving to another property nearby a few years ago. Richland-West End is a 12-block area of about 70 homes, with approximately 90% built between 1905-1935. The predominant housing style is craftsman bungalow and there also are many large four-square houses on its two major streets. The neighborhood is designated as an arboretum in Nashville for its quantity
and variety of trees. My husband and I always enjoy taking our two standard poodles for walks in Richland-West End and looking at the many beautiful homes and gardens.
This painting is based on a photo I took in April 2016 in that neighborhood. It depicts the streetside entrance to the backyard of a corner house. The entrance to the garden is via an intriguing persimmon-colored door rather than the customary gate. The bright door is inset into a protective structure with painted wood siding that is covered by a gable roof. There is a pretty heart-shaped wreath on the door and a stained-glass lantern hanging above the door. It is early spring with lilac-colored wisteria and a white Lady Banks rose shrub cascading over the fence while pale pink cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom overhead. You just know that the garden hidden behind that door must be something special!