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This informative volume traces the extraordinary evolution over more than two centuries of Kew's historic landscape, which began with two private royal gardens and expanded through the work of some of our most distinguished garden designers and architects, resulting in an important range of listed buildings of which thirty-nine have survived. These, together with the latest additions to Kew's architectural heritage, are extensively illustrated and described. As much part of this fascinating landscape are the principal figures in Kew's history - among them Queen Caroline, her son Frederick Prince of Wales, his wife Princess Augusta, and George III; Sir Joseph Banks, who organized the first worldwide plant-collecting expeditions; Sir William Hooker and his son, Sir Joseph, who laid the foundations of the present Botanic Gardens; and successive directors who formulated policy and enabled improvements. Kew also played a pivotal role in the development of the British Empire's natural resources, the introduction of commercial crops to the colonies and the compilation of colonial floras. Its collaboration with overseas botanical gardens, alongside its establishment as an international scientific institution are equally crucial and examined in detail. Whilst previous accounts of Kew have relied almost entirely on printed sources, the present volume makes extensive use of archives which support modern Kew's primary objective: "the better management of the Earth's environment by increasing knowledge and understanding of the plant kingdom".
This splendidly illustrated book about the world famous botanic gardens at Kew examines their historic impact and importance. With 250 fascinating photographs, many of them previously unseen, it describes the botanical, social, cultural, political and technological developments of the past two centuries and highlights the pivotal role that plants have played in British life. The tale of Kew Gardens embraces a wide range of themes, including: plant hunters, ecologists, explorers and other pioneers; the evolution of building and garden design; influential directors, architects and landscape gardeners; the gardens as a vital public resource; digging for victory - Kew in wartime.
The authorised history of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
This widely acclaimed book analyzes the political effects of scientific research as exemplified by one field, economic botany, during one epoch, the nineteenth century, when Great Britain was the world's most powerful nation. Lucile Brockway examines how the British botanic garden network developed and transferred economically important plants to different parts of the world to promote the prosperity of the Empire. In this classic work, available once again after many years out of print, Brockway examines in detail three cases in which British scientists transferred important crop plants--cinchona (a source of quinine), rubber and sisal--to new continents. Weaving together botanical, historical, economic, political, and ethnographic findings, the author illuminates the remarkable social role of botany and the entwined relation between science and politics in an imperial era.
Situated on the south bank of the River Thames, the Royal Botanical Gardens, also known as Kew, is a paradise for plant lovers. Author Allen Paterson chronicles the rich history of Kew, from private pleasure ground to international institution. With photographs of the garden today and botanical illustrations from the Kew collection, this beautiful book brings the story of Kew completely up to date.
The seventeenth century heralded a golden age of exploration, as intrepid travelers sailed around the world to gain firsthand knowledge of previously unknown continents. These explorers also collected the world’s most beautiful flora, and often their findings were recorded for posterity by talented professional artists. The Golden Age of Botanical Art tells the story of these exciting plant-hunting journeys and marries it with full-color reproductions of the stunning artwork they produced. Covering work through the nineteenth century, this lavishly illustrated book offers readers a look at 250 rare or unpublished images by some of the world’s most important botanical artists. Truly global in its scope, The Golden Age of Botanical Art features work by artists from Europe, China, and India, recording plants from places as disparate as Africa and South America. Martyn Rix has compiled the stories and art not only of well-known figures—such as Leonardo da Vinci and the artists of Empress Josephine Bonaparte—but also of those adventurous botanists and painters whose names and work have been forgotten. A celebration of both extraordinarily beautiful plant life and the globe-trotting men and women who found and recorded it, The Golden Age of Botanical Art will enchant gardeners and art lovers alike.
Accompanying DVD chronicles Dale Chihuly's 2005 exhibition of his glass works at the Royal Botanic Gardens.
The Florilegium Society at The Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney was formed in 2005 to create a unique collection of contemporary botanical paintings of significant plants that represent the history of the living collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust.This beautifully produced book is a celebration of 200 years of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney,showcasing the botanical richness of these Gardens through the eyes of 64 exceptional Australianand international botanical artists. The stunning botanical paintings are presented chronologicallyaccording to the date of each species' introduction to the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney and its BlueMountains Garden, Mt Tomah and the Australian Garden, Mt Annan. With paintings of indigenousAustralian plants as well as more exotic species from Asia, the Americas, Africa and Europe, TheFlorilegium truly reflects the diversity of the three Gardens.Each painting is accompanied by a botanical description written by Louisa Murray and a historicoverview by Colleen Morris detailing the discovery of the featured species, its historic and culturalsignificance and introduction to the Gardens. With a foreword by Dr Shirley Sherwood OBE, prefaceby Dr Brett Summerell, RBG Sydney Director of Science and Conservation, and an introductory essayby Beverly Allen.The accompanying exhibition of the same name runs from February - August 2018 in the ShirleySherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.'The standard of the plant portraits is so high and the text so illuminating that this will make amemorable book.'Dr Shirley Sherwood OBE
'A glorious green adventure story.' Ann Treneman, The Times 'Books of the Year' 'The most enthralling historical book I’ve read this year.' Claire Tomalin, New Statesman 'Books of the year' Daringly innovative when it opened in 1848, the Palm House in Kew Gardens remains one of the most beautiful glass buildings in the world today. Seemingly weightless, vast and yet light, the Palm House floats free from architectural convention, at once monumental and ethereal. From a distance, the crowns of the palms within are silhouetted in the central dome; close to, banana leaves thrust themselves against the glass. To enter it is to enter a tropical fantasy. The body is assaulted by heat, light and the smell of damp vegetation. In Palace of Palms, Kate Teltscher tells the extraordinary story of its creation and of the Victorians’ obsession with the palms that filled it. It is a story of breathtaking ambition, of scientific discovery and, crucially, of the remarkable men whose vision it was. The Palm House was commissioned by the charismatic first Director of Kew, Sir William Hooker, designed by the audacious Irish engineer, Richard Turner, and managed by Kew’s forthright curator, John Smith, who battled with boilers and floods to ensure the survival of the rare and wondrous plants it housed.
This remarkable book reveals the story of 40 of the world's most fascinating plants. The plants are explored through specially selected facsimile texts from the Archives at Kew and expert introductions, as well as exceptional and beautiful illustrations. The Botanical Treasury also includes 40 beautifully reproduced prints of the plants which can then be framed, allowing the reader to truly appreciate these magnificent plants. Written by Kew's experts and curated by Christopher Mills, previously Head of Kew's Library, Art and Archives.