Audrey Reilly

Originally from Ireland, I have been living in Germany for many years. I studied art on leaving school but only turned to botanical art in 2020. After completing the RBGE certificate course I was hooked. Thus, the progression to the Diploma course.

I am particularly drawn to the more ‚insignificant plants in my immediate surroundings which I never noticed before. There is no lack of these subjects in my sprawling woodland garden which is situated near an area of raised bogland.

Title of the Project:

Plants of the Hannoversche Moorgeest

About the Project:

The Hannoversche Moorgeest consisting of four raised bogs is a sandy, undulating landscape northwest of Hanover in Lower Saxony, Germany. This is now a nature reserve and part of a major ecological rewetting project. The local Moor Information Center (MOORiZ) provides a permanent exhibition on the formation of the moors and their fauna and flora. To provide the visitors with an overview of the typical moor flora a so-called “mini-moor” was established in 2013. On an area of about 10 x 6 meters at the side of the MOORiZ building a "Moorkuhle", as it is often found in the moors as a result of centuries of hand peat cutting, was recreated and planted with moor-typical plants. This provided me with immediate access to plants that would otherwise have been difficult to study. The tiny details particularly of the flowers on some of these plants are especially fascinating on closer study and this I wanted to demonstrate.

Illustrations: