Highgrove Florilegium
‘Working in a garden or, indeed
trying to capture in
watercolour the essence of a plant, is not only good for the soul, but
it can
also help to teach us a fundamental humility that is of crucial
importance in
today's world. It reminds us that we are, in truth, a part of and not
apart
from Nature.’
HRH The Prince of Wales, taken from his preface
Since His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales bought his country home, Highgrove, in 1980 he has steadily developed the garden, which is now greatly admired for its combination of planting, ornament and thoughtful design. For the last five years many of the leading botanical artists from around the world have been invited to paint examples of the plants and trees growing in his garden at Highgrove in Gloucestershire. Distinguished botanists have been working with David Howard, the Head Gardener at Highgrove, to ensure that a representative selection of species should display every facet of this great garden: with plants both decorative and useful, plants that are rare and in decline, the commonplace and the ravishing.
Addison Publications has been invited by His Royal Highness to make a limited edition publication from the original watercolours, which will be published as a two volume set and issued by subscription.
Botanical illustration can be traced back to herbals in the 6th century AD but in recent years the surge of interest in gardening and increased awareness of the exploitation of plant life in its natural habitat has led to more artists taking up botanical painting. It has been said that we are in a new ‘Golden Age’ of botanical art. The list of those contributing to the Highgrove Florilegium represents the height of this “Golden Age”. Anne Marie Evans, MA FLS, the artist who developed the diploma course in Botanical Painting at the Chelsea Physic Garden leads the selection panel who ensure that the paintings meet the highest standards.
The edition, dedicated by the Artists to His Royal Highness, is limited to just 175 numbered sets. Volume 1 will contain 61 images and the first copy, Number 1/175, will be delivered to the Prince of Wales in March of 2008. His Royal Highness, who has written the Preface, has kindly agreed to sign each numbered set. All royalties from the publication will be donated to the Prince’s Charities Foundation.
The images will be printed in England on especially-made archival paper by the stochastic lithographic process, the most up to date and appropriate technique for reproducing the delicacy and detail of watercolour paintings. The text will be printed using Somerset paper, again, in a special making for this publication. Richard Shirley Smith’s drawings of features from the Highgrove garden have been incorporated into endpapers for the book and vignettes for the text. The pages will be collated and sewn by hand in the Yorkshire bindery of Stephen Conway, who runs one of the few craft binderies in England. Victoria Hall in Norwich is marbling the sheets of paper for the sides of the book by hand. The spine and foredge are covered in red chieftain goat skin and especially cut tools have been made for James Brockman, the eminent designer book binder who will hand finish the books in gold leaf
This is truly a magnificent Royal Florilegium and we hope worthy of the love His Royal Highness has for his garden and the dedication the distinguished artists have for their craft.
