Flora Illustrata: Great Works from the LuEsther T. Mertz Library of the New York Botanical Garden

This richly informative, visually stunning book showcases illustrations from the vast collection of printed matter housed at the LuEsther T. Mertz Library of the New York Botanical Garden. With chapters written by international scholars in botanical science, it includes beautifully detailed images printed on heavy matte paper, an overview of botanists’ contributions to science, and a history of horticulture, garden design, and the rise of color illustrations in botanical publications and marketing materials. The plated images reproduce a variety of media ranging from early watercolors and engravings to the “flamboyant peak” of seed-catalogue illustrations in 1890. The book closes with a detailed chapter on the construction of the New York Botanical Garden, showing blueprints, maps, and aerial photographs. This enchanting collection is a comprehensive resource on the history, science, and art of botany, and an object of beauty in itself.[em] (Dec.) [/em]