The Secret Garden by Val Kenyon

I like this - will leave it to others to comments as all things greens are not my forte!

That is good, Val! I rather like the contrast of greens!

This is good. I like the shadowed contrasts within the foliage.

This is really well done Val.

Love the light and shadows on the buildings Val, they give a strong sense of heat. You have a lovely variation of greens and as Lew mentioned there is depth in the foliage.

It’s an excellent piece Val, don’t beat yourself up about the dreaded greens , you have done a good job of a difficult task. Honestly no matter how many times I do a landscape I still worry about the greens your fit into the landscape really well

Excellent Val, lush foliage and lovely light.

You are all so generous with your comments which are great moral boosters, I just might persevere with acrylics. Thank you very much everyone.

I find its best to suggest Val. Good sense of depth and you have done well put in warm and cool greens.

A wonderful archway inviting the viewer to walk through Val. The sueeounding foliage is so beautifully painted.

I like your greens Val and they go well against the pink/ mauve of the tower. My eye goes straight to what’s beyond the arch, I think because of the light on the right hand tree, which is followed through beyond. I thought also of the book…..

Like it. Has a portmeirion feel about it

Foliage just is difficult - I imagine we've all had problems with it, and would tell you that the only way of improving is through the very practice which you're undertaking already, on the back of your failed watercolours (I'll bet most of us have those, too). This painting works fine, the only real suggestion I have is to get strong darks in first - black, if you have to - and add your mid-tones and light to lightest tones over the top. That's if you're working in acrylic, of course - won't work in watercolour without a great deal of the (ghastly) masking-fluid, and is even then best approached quite differently. In short: just keep going - you're getting there.

It is already nice. You do not need more details in the foliage what I feel.

It draws you in, an excellent composition.

Thank you for taking the time to comment and for your tips John, Carole, Marjorie, Martin, Robert, Madalena and Peter, I really appreciate it.