Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog for the frontispiece of <i>The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies</i>

The composition captures the cultivated beds, flowering shrubs and currant bushes that Potter described in her journal as a "prettiest kind of garden". The scene provided the visual setting for several of her narratives, both published and unpublished, linking the natural environment to the domestic lives of her animal characters.

Rendered in transparent water‑colour washes, the sketch demonstrates Potter’s rapid outdoor drawing method. She combined loose, gestural strokes for foliage with finer line work for architectural elements, achieving a balance between accuracy and the whimsical tone characteristic of her illustrated tales.

Created during Potter’s 1909 stay at Gwaynynog while finalising illustrations for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, the work remained in her personal papers until it entered a museum collection. It is now held by the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it is displayed alongside other preparatory studies by the author‑illustrator.

Gwaynynog was a favored holiday retreat for Potter and her family from 1903 onward. The estate’s garden inspired not only the Flopsy Bunnies but also earlier unpublished stories such as the bat tale Flittermouse and Fluttermouse and the later narrative Llewellyn’s Well, illustrating the recurring influence of this locale on her creative output.