The Unassuming Hedgerow & Dog Rose Linocut

Time for a break from abstract florals to a more detailed design. I’ve taken inspiration from the humble Dog Rose (Rosa canina), commonly found climbing and scrambling through hedgerows, accompanying woodland walks and creating natural boundaries. There’s something I find soothing when studying hedgerows and the unrestricted, seasonal transformation they go through. The unassuming maze of life that grows and transforms within.

In the summer months I love spotting the delicate flowers of the dog rose. One of the most distinctive features of this plant are its beautiful flowers. Typically pink or white and have a lovely fragrance, which bloom in late spring or early summer, attracting bees and other pollinators. Dog rose is easy to spot, with their delicate flowers punching through the dense greenery of hedgerows, adding a softer balance to things.

Having grown up in the Trossachs and now living in Norfolk, it’s the constants I relish when I miss the familiarity and comfort of the Scottish countryside; the familiar sighting of a bustling hedgerow tangled with dog rose and hawthorns, the dappled sunlight poking through the leaves and the sense of calm and tranquility that take me home.