“I grew up with a lovely garden and I am fascinated by plants,” she said.

The horticulturist and art teacher has been selected to exhibit her art at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, in its new Botanica: Symbiosis botanical art exhibition.

The concept for her watercolour came from the discovery of a piece of Hawthorne plant while out walking in Millthorpe.

Moss had grown onto the shrub, which tied into this year’s exhibition theme Symbiosis, which explores the relationship between two or more living organisms.

“The drawing has developed slowly, it started with the birds nest and I’ve added things I love,” said Ms Mein.

“I shy away from the obvious, I like things with structure, like thistles.”

Attracted to the colours that make up the Central West landscape, Ms Mein moved here in 2004 and has taught a monthly art class to a small group at the Orange Botanic Gardens since.

Another artist drawing inspiration from the area is Orange’s Anne Saville.

Ms Saville’s graphite pencil sketch of Wisteria floribunda ‘Alba’ has also been selected for Sydney’s botanic gardens exhibition.

Curator, Judy Dunstan said the exhibition will showcase some of Australia’s best botanic and natural history artists now until May 6.