In Rachel Hillis’ botanical world
I’m a 25 year old freelance illustrator. Originally from London, I now live in Liverpool together with my partner and our cat Henri – named after my favorite artist Henri Rousseau. I create botanical illustrations with gouache paint for magazines, books, homeware and clothing brands.
While my flat is filled with house plants, my biggest joy is the outdoor space we got early this spring in a community garden, only a short walk from home. When we got it, it was completely overgrown with weeds and couch grass. It took a month of digging, weeding and raking before we could build the raised beds and start planting. We now have 3 raised beds dedicated to growing veggies as well as a space on the side where we sow wildflowers.
To delineate our allotment and get more of a privacy feeling, we let the grass in the borders grow tall and sowed flowers like hollyhocks and foxgloves. Some areas of the allotment are voluntarily kept as wild as possible and welcoming for insects and other small creatures.
The bird box I have in the allotment was made by my granddad. He was crazy about sheds which he built all around the house, in all forms. He had to stop due to space constraint! My grandparents’ garden in Liverpool is where I built my sweetest childhood memories and where I forged this sensitivity and admiration towards botanical beauty.
I love the splash of colour my BACSAC® bring to the space! We use them to grow all sorts of aromatics.
I got to know BACSAC® whilst visiting my favorite bookstore in Paris. Beyond its amazing book selection,I fell in love with all those colourful planters at the front of the shop. Such an artistic way to display plants!
An IG account worth give a follow?
London based journalist Alice Vincent and her urban gardening account. Alice is a talented gal who proves with her small London balcony that you don’t need a lot of space to grow a wonderful green haven.
An inspiring artist?
Henri Rousseau, for its naïve and psychedelic visions of remote jungles and its art of mastering many shades of green. He never left Paris but drew its inspiration from the renowned Parisian botanical garden Jardin des plantes. I have the same obsession, since my childhood, with botanical gardens. They really inspire me and boost my creativity. So in a way, through my drawings, I thrive to create a dream where I’d like to live in. I like to think that my appreciation of the natural world positively influences other people to dream the world in a similar light!
