Meet the artist behind ‘Muriel’s garden’: Painter who gave flower-loving great-grandmother ‘dream’ artwork on side of house has transformed famous town with his fantasy landscapes

Pictures show the ‘Muriel’s garden’ artist who has transformed homes across a town – with larges works of nature and animals.

Jon Minshull, 61, has painted thousands of murals around the UK and the US with his themes usually featuring nature and wildlife.

But it is in current hometown of Glastonbury, Somerset, where people can find most of his artwork.

There he has painted a nearly 30 murals – including a life-sized giraffe, giant dahlias and rural scenes in properties.

Most recently he completed a farmhouse and scenic flowery garden outside 94-year-old great-grandmother Muriel Baker’s house in Meare near Glastonbury.

The mural features an array of trees, roses and even butterflies, per Muriel’s request.

Muriel, a born-and-bred country girl who can no longer garden, asked Jon to create a ‘dream garden’ she wouldn’t need to water or weed. 

She now sits on her patio with a cup of coffee and enjoys the mural as her own permanent garden view – a scene filled with butterflies, roses and birds that reflects her lifelong love of nature.

Pictures show the ‘Muriel’s garden’ artist who has transformed homes across a town – with larges works of nature and animals. Pictured: Artist Jon Minshull and Muriel Bakers outside her painted home in Meare, Somerset

Jon Minshull, 61, has painted thousands of murals around the UK and the US with his themes usually featuring nature and wildlife. Pictured: Minshull outside Muriel Bakers’s painted home

 Pictured: A rural scene on a property in Glastonbury, Somerset

His art also seems to attract an array of positive comments on his Facebook page with people praising his work

His murals can take up to eight days to be completed and he does a quick sketch before painting the mural.

Jon said: ‘To bring happiness to people is why I do what I do.

‘When you see their expressions it makes my world so it’s really good.

‘Glastonbury is such a vibrant artistic and culturally rich town which makes it perfect for murals.

‘A lot o f businesses including private retreats ask me to paint murals for their visitors, as tourism is a big part of the economy here.’

Jon began his work as a mural artist in 2007 at St Ben’s Junior School on the play ground wall.

He was then asked to paint a mural in the Glastonbury Experience Courtyard celebrating the ‘Goddess in the Landscape’ and it carried on from then.

He was then commissioned to paint churches and private homes.

Jon said: ‘I am usually commissioned by clients and work to try and realise their ideas with them.

‘I am occasionally asked to paint whatever I like which is exciting for me as an artist.’

Recently he has also painted fantasy landscape on a garage door for a man in Glastonbury – including an elephant and a dragon.

A rural scene on a property in Meare, Somerset

Muriel, a born-and-bred country girl who can no longer garden, asked Jon to create a ‘dream garden’ she wouldn’t need to water or weed. She now sits on her patio with a cup of coffee and enjoys the mural as her own permanent garden view – a scene filled with butterflies, roses and birds that reflects her lifelong love of nature

He has also done a big kingfisher and a river flowing in the background outside a cottage in Meare

A rural scene on a bus stop in Polsham, Somerset

He has also done a big kingfisher and a river flowing in the background outside a cottage in Meare.

Jon added that his favourite mural in the town is the Dahlia mural on the high street.

‘I painted it two years ago for the gallery who asked for a big bunch of flowers,’ he said.

‘My sister always used to bring me Dahlias from her garden when she came to visit me and when she sadly passed away in 2023 it was an opportunity to paint a hue bunch of Dahlias in her memory.

‘The mural is so joyful and a lovely way to remember her.’

His art also seems to attract an array of positive comments on his Facebook page with people praising his work.

One said: ‘Beautifully stunning as always. Can imagine you have very happy clients.

Another said: ‘So very beautiful, you are so talented, I can’t draw a stick man properly, I can’t think how you do it!

While another added: ‘Oh my goodness. That truly is incredible, absolutely mind blowing amazing.

‘Totally in awe of your work Jon.’