Jill Barklem was drawn to the natural world from childhood. While training as an illustrator at St Martin's School of Art, her long journeys to college gave her time to escape into the imaginary world of a colony of mice, later to be developed as the enchanting miniature world of Brambly Hedge.

Jill Barklem was drawn to the natural world from childhood. While training as an illustrator at St Martin's School of Art, her long journeys to college gave her time to escape into the imaginary world of a colony of mice, later to be developed as the enchanting miniature world of Brambly Hedge.