At 94, Muriel Baker has found the perfect way to enjoy a garden without the heavy lifting.
The former factory worker from Meare, near Glastonbury, Somerset, has had a huge mural painted on the side of her home, creating her very own “dream garden” that she can admire while sipping a cup of coffee on her patio.
Art Replaces the Garden Work
Muriel explains that her age makes traditional gardening impossible.
“I don’t need to water or weed anything,” she says.
“But I can still sit out and enjoy looking at my garden on the wall.”
The mural, painted by local artist Jon Minshull, joins another of his works from 18 months ago, which shows Muriel’s late father, Arthur Napstone, milking a cow.
A Touch of Family History
Muriel has deep roots in the area, having been born in the same farmhouse as her father.
Today, she lives in a self-contained annexe converted from the old cheese room and dairy, while her son David, 68, and his wife Jenny, 64, occupy the main house.
The murals are more than decoration—they are a connection to her family and past.
The two paintings cost a total of £2,000, an expense Muriel considers “well worth it.”
She adds, “I know about roses, but I can’t garden at my age.
I just thought it would be nice to sit on my patio and still have a garden view. Jon added the little details himself—they’re incredible.
Butterflies, deer, a robin, a wren… it’s wonderful.”
Community Enjoys the Artwork
The murals have attracted visitors, many of whom have been so taken by them that they offered donations. For Muriel, that’s not the point.
“Knowing it’s given people a bit of pleasure is good enough for me,” she says.
The paintings also sparked a touching reunion with an old friend, as one mural includes geese from a friend’s family she hadn’t seen in 18 years.
Muriel’s Family and Next Plans
Muriel is a proud great-grandmother with two great-grandchildren, three grandchildren, and two children—Maureen, 71, and David. Her next project is replacing the patio fence, which was damaged in a recent storm.
She commissioned the first mural after seeing another of Mr Minshull’s works nearby.
“He asked what I wanted, and I told him I liked a small picture of my father milking in the dairy. It’s really lovely,” she says.
The latest mural, taking five days to complete, evokes the view across the Mendips from the end of her road.
Artist Brings Joy Through Murals
Jon Minshull, 61, has painted thousands of murals across the UK and the US, often focusing on nature and wildlife.
About Muriel’s project, he says, “Because she’s got such a small garden area, she just wanted a nice garden and a nice view.
It was wonderful to see her face when it was completed. Bringing happiness to people is why I do this.
When you see their expressions, it makes my world.”
A Garden to Enjoy for Years
Thanks to Muriel’s murals, she has all the beauty of a garden without the strain of maintaining one.
For this Somerset great-grandmother, the perfect view is right outside her window, bringing together family history, wildlife, and nature in a way she can enjoy every day.
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