There is a botanical art exhibition on now in Chelsea for two more days. Well regarded, practising botanical artist show and sell their wares in a small but perfectly formed space. If you love plants and nature your heart will be drawn to these compositions, as they capture and illuminate the essence and energy of …

Formal gardens are nice, but never can they equal, much less rival, Nature’s wild gardens. Nothing person-made comes close to being as gracious and triumphant as an alpine meadow in flower. Public domain artworks from Alpine flowers and gardens, painted and described by G. Flemwell (published London, A. & C. Black, 1910) express these sentiments …

The white lily has got to be up there as one of the most popular plants to be rendered in Western art. Over many centuries the main provider of these floral depictions has been paintings of The Annunciation; the Christian and Catholic celebration of archangel Gabriel’s announcement to the Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus. The majority …