Ray Desmond

Over more than two centuries, from the time of George II's wife, Queen Caroline, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew have developed into the remarkable institution we know today. Ray Desmond's authoritative illustrated history traces their 200-year evolution. It highlights the achievements of distinguished garden designers such as 'Capability' Brown and Charles Bridgeman who worked at the gardens and describes the buildings -the creations of eminent architects like William Kent and Decimus Burton -which make Kew so distinctive. Ray Desmond also outlines the very significant contributions Kew has made to scientific development and discovery over the years and underscores the primary objective of the gardens -'the better management of the earth's environment by increasing knowledge and understanding of the plant kingdom.' Ray Desmond has been Chief Librarian and Archivist at Kew and his richly illustrated and informative book is the first history of the gardens to make extensive use of Kew's own archives.

The History of the Royal Botanic Gardens

The flora of the Indian subcontinent has stirred European curiosity and investigation for over two millennia. From pepper, a coveted commodity of the lucrative spice trade, to rhododendrons, orchids, and alpine flowers, cherished in innumerable British gardens and conservatories, Indian plantshave long been highly prized in the West. This book surveys European perceptions of the diversity of the Indian flora, and examines its impact on European commerce and culture including botany, horticulture, and floral art.It chronicles the growing European awareness of the Indian flora from the first glimmerings of knowledge in the fifth century BC to the demise in the mid-nineteenth century of the British East India Company and of its successor, the India Office. An epilogue briefly surveys the development ofbotanical studies since the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. The evolution of European-style gardens in India is examined, and the impact of the Indian flora on British gardens is assessed.

The European Discovery of the Indian Flora

Ghillean T. Prance

The first detailed account of Hooker's extensive travels.

Traveller and Plant Collector

Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker

Bentham-Moxon Research Fellow Ray Desmond

Data include name, dates and places of birth, education, qualifications, honors, biographical references in books and periodicals, location of plant collections, herbaria, manuscripts, drawings, portraits, sale of collections, and any plant commemorating the individual.

Dictionary Of British And Irish Botantists And Horticulturalists Including Plant Collectors, Flower Painters and Garden Designers

Over the past four centuries botanists and gardeners in the British Isles have gathered, maintained and propagated many varying species of plants. Their work has been documented in innumerable books and articles which are often difficult to trace. The Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturalists represents a time-saving reference source for those who wish to discover more about the lives and achievements of the horticulturalists listed. The dictionary's utility comes not only from indicating the major publications of the named authors, but also the location of their herbaria and manuscripts.; The previous 1977 edition of the Dictionary has for many years been a much used source of information for botanists, botanic artists and archivists. In this revised edition the scope has been expanded to include among its 13,000 entries flower painters in addition to botanical artists over 1400 entries and, for the first time, garden designers.; Finally the Dictionary should have international appeal since so many botanists and gardeners worked on collective plants overseas, in particular in North America and the British Commonwealth.; Each entry gives, wherever possible, details of dates and places of birth and death, educational qualifications, professional posts, honours and awards, publications, location of plant collections, manuscripts, drawings and portraits. Its main function, however, is to provide further biographical references to books and periodicals. Comprehensive classified indices facilitate access by professions and activities, countries, and plant interests.

Ray Desmond

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