Painterly Plants

Book excerpt: Flowers have long been a favorite subject among artists, and the development of many well-known horticultural varieties may be traced through their depiction on paper or canvas over the centuries. Painterly Plants explores this fascinating relationship between horticulture and art through 14 of the most exquisitely beautiful flowers that nature and hybridization can produce. Some are the subjects of history’s most famous botanical masterpieces, while others look as if they themselves have been daubed with paint. Each chapter focuses on an enduringly popular plant and its most spectacular varieties, providing a history - including its artistic history - with plenty of lively anecdotal information, and a key botanical illustration that is discussed in the text. In addition, gardens expert Clare Foster provides succinct practical information on cultivation and recommended varieties. The jewel-like colors and sculptural shapes of the flowers are captured in a series of superb close-up photographs by Sabina R�ber.