Orchard

The straight brown trunks of the fruit trees in the Orchard pattern create a powerful vertical emphasis that is softened by the inclusion of swirling blue acanthus leaves. A pervasive motif in Morris's work, especially in his tapestry, acanthus leaves continued to be used by Dearle. The combination of trees and acanthus in Orchard is based upon the earlier embroidered wall hangings designed by Dearle and Morris's younger daughter, May, in the late 1890s.