From the bejewelled feathers of a peahen to a magpie’s monochrome majesty, this is surely a case of leaf imitating art.
Diana Cotter is an amateur artist who carefully selects hundreds of different-coloured leaves from her yard to make these amazing autumnal images.
She adds berries, moss and twigs to garden clay bases to create a dazzling final effect and photographs her seasonal creations before they dry out — before putting them in the compost.
Diana, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, says: ‘The only tools that I use are a wooden plant label used as a drawing implement and a pair of scissors.
‘It’s all about looking for the right colours. I can see what I am going to do in my mind’s eye.’
She adds: ‘It is quite a mindful experience and when I am doing it, I am not thinking of anything else. I have done flower arranging as a hobby before and that doesn’t last either, so I am used to throwing away my creations!’
Finessing the leaves: Diana Cotter, artist at Salisbury Gardens in Wiltshire.
It was a pleasant surprise for a pheasant: A beautiful peahen
Do you think I’m sett-sy? The badger has a mossy nose.
Woody you believe it! A magnificent green woodpecker
Finch perfection: Diana collected stunningly-colored leaves to create this steely bullfinch.
Foxy gladey: A vivacious vixen — sporting a pebble for a nose — in the autumn woods
Night garden: A magnificently constructed owl perched on its perch
Who’s the tuft guy? An impressive waxwing sits on top of an elegantly placed twig.
A super-duper hoopoe: An exotic chap with a delicately crafted and rather fabulous crown
Enny the bird: This beautiful wren is perfectly wrendered
The beak is up: A cheeky magpie with an eye for an eye has snatched a real-life engagement ring
And spinally… Diana had her work cut out to make this hedgehog — but it’s snoutstanding!