Watercolorist Xu Minghui says she was enthralled at the moment she entered the prosperous garden at Claude Monet's villa in Giverny, in France, known for its blooming flowers which were planted to the planning of the impressionist himself and became a recurring motif in his creation.

"The colorful blossoms, with pleasant smells, erupted with vigor in the bright sunlight," she recalls of the visit in May 2010. "It was a celebration of life, and a hub for one to pacify his heart and soul."