Beatrice Parsons: 'Leading' garden painter's work comes home

The watercolour was purchased with £1,350 from the Hertfordshire Heritage Fund and £400 from the Friends of Watford Museum

A watercolour by a "leading English painter of gardens" has been bought by the museum close to where she lived.

The work, by Beatrice Parsons, from Oxhey, a suburb of Watford, is expected to go on display at the town's museum.

Bluebell Wood, Oxhey, was purchased for £1,750, with funding from Hertfordshire Heritage Fund and the Friends of Watford Museum.

Watford Borough Council said the inclusion of the work would "improve the representation of female artists".

The painting will be on show with other works by the artist at Watford Museum

Miss Parsons, whose work was exhibited at the Royal Academy, was born in 1870 and died in 1955.

She was "one of the leading English painters of gardens" and Bluebell Wood would be the first painting of Oxhey Park to be owned by Watford Museum, the council said.

Her painting showed the River Colne flowing through the park and the "wonderful array of trees and bluebells", the council added.

Peter Taylor, elected Liberal Democrat mayor of Watford, said: "The painting is a delightful view of this area which is much enjoyed, but is little represented in art or in images within our photographic collection."

It was purchased from art dealer Abbott and Holder.