The Orchid: From the Archives of the Royal Horticultural Society [Hardcover]

Mark Griffiths (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2002

Prized for their exotic beauty and astonishing variety, orchids are the royal family of the plant kingdom. Found in a dazzling array of forms and colors, orchids -- hard to obtain and harder still to maintain -- are treasured as the rarest and most exclusive of plants. This glorious volume illustrates the most exquisite specimens of the flower with botanical artworks from the unrivaled collection of the Royal Horticultural Society in England.

Reproduced here for the first time are the stunning watercolor portraits commissioned for the Society's prize-winning orchid every year since 1897. These and other spectacular illustrations combine with a text by one of the world's foremost experts on orchids to make this the ultimate pictorial history and reference on the most glamorous flower of all.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

At first glance, this book appears to be yet another lavish coffee-table work showcasing this extravagant group of plants. However, it is actually a substantial volume, featuring paintings and drawings of orchids from the Lindley Library of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), London the institution that has played a significant role in promoting and fostering the development of orchid horticulture in the West. The first part features illustrations from a variety of sources, with accompanying text about the cultivation and natural history of orchids by Griffiths, editorial consultant of the authoritative RHS periodical, Orchid Review, and editor of The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. The RHS has been awarding orchids and commissioning paintings of the winners since 1896, and the second half of the book is devoted to reproducing these watercolors for the first time. There are a few flaws a couple of the watercolors are miscaptioned, and the text font is small and somewhat difficult to read but these are minor detractions from what is otherwise a fabulous work. Highly recommended for horticultural collections and larger public libraries. Brian Lym, City Coll. of San Francisco Lib.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A fabulous work. Highly recommended..." -- Library Journal

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810904381
• ISBN-13: 978-0810904385
• Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 10.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #978,855 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good pictures and historical reference, October 27, 2008

By 

HJ VENTER (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Orchid: From the Archives of the Royal Horticultural Society (Hardcover)

This book has a number of paintings reproduced, and has basic orchid culture and a fair amount of orchid history, especially related to the RHS and England. Useful addition to a big reference library but not a major reference work.