What to do with a broken stem of blooms

Gaillardia blooms from behind

The other day, while spreading bark mulch, I managed to damage a stem with two blooms on it. Instead of putting it in the weed bucket to add to the compost pile, I brought it in and placed it in a little glass bottle on my table. 

Later on, taking my seat at the table I focused in on the beauty of the back side of the bloom. So often we focus on what I will refer to as the 'front' or 'top' of the bloom, you know the showy part. Its purpose is to attract the pollinators and a human's appreciation. But how often do we bother to look underneath all the petals to examine the structures below? 

From this view (photo left) you can see the sepals, the leaf like petals that protect the bud. Look closer and you can see the veins in the leaves filled with pigment. The second bloom in the picture has lost most of its petals and you can notice that the flower head is on its way to seed production.  

Gardening seems to be a companion passion for many artists. Monet's home and garden in Giverny with those wonderfully inspiring ponds and waterlilies; Frida Kahlo's courtyard in Mexico City, Georgia O'Keeffe in New Mexico, and Barbara Hepworth in Cornwall, and Beatrix Potter's Hilltop Farm in the Lakes Region (Follow this link for more on these artists and their gardens).

Color pencil and pen sketch of Gaillardia pulchella 

Inspired, I sat down and did a colored pencil and pen sketch of my blooms commonly known as Indian Blanket or their scientific name Gaillardia pulchella. I am currently working on developing my drawing skills and seek to get a sketch a day completed. Keep following for further examples of my garden beauties and my attempts of capturing them on paper.