Artist and gardener Terrie Shaw has spent more than a decade journaling in words and watercolours. In her new book, Garden Journey, she captures not just the look of her Sherwood Park garden, but the feeling of it: the hum of bees around her grapevine café, the rich colours of calendula and sorrel, and the laughter of her grandchildren inventing stories around a mysterious purple door in the yard.

Terrie sketches everything — plants, recipes, even moments with her family — in pen and ink before bringing them to life with watercolour. Over the years she has filled five journals, beginning in 2013 with tentative lines and simple sketches, and gradually building confidence and richness in style. The pages chart more than her growth as an artist. They reveal how everyday beauty unfolds season by season, from planting to harvest, and how the act of sketching itself becomes a way of seeing more deeply. As Terrie explains in our conversation, drawing first in pen forces her to slow down and pay attention, and the result is a sense of calm and connection that gardening naturally encourages.

The road to publication wasn’t simple. After one disappointing experience, she eventually found a supportive home for her work with Wild Skies Press, where the photographs of her journal pages could be reproduced with clarity and colour. Terrie’s hope is that readers, even those who don’t consider themselves artists or gardeners, will discover that wonder is always within reach. A flower, a walk, or a quiet moment in the yard can all become moments of insight and joy if we pause to notice them.

In this episode of the CLG Podcast, Shauna Dobbie sits down with Terrie to talk about her journey. They explore her creative process, the stories behind her garden “rooms,” the role of family in her art, and the lessons she’s learned about resilience, creativity, and positivity. At its heart, Terrie’s story is about finding joy in the everyday — and her message is one the world really needs right now.

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