In 1772, at the age of 73, Mrs. Mary Delany invented a new way of depicting flowers: with hundreds of small pieces of paper carefully cut out and placed. This method - which she called "paper mosaicks" and which later became known as (paper) collage - enchanted her friend Lady Portland, King George III and his queen, and natural historians, artists, collectors, and friends alike. They look like botanical paintings, but are constructed out of paper. Browse the British Museum's collection. [more inside]
posted by julen on Jun 21, 2011 - 21 comments

Nestled amid the red buttes of Papago Park in Phoenix, the Desert Botanical Garden hosts one of the world’s finest collections of desert plants. Home to 139 rare, threatened and endangered plant species from around the world, the Garden offers interesting and inspiring experiences, while their website offers gardening help including good growing guides. The Desert Botanical Garden has educational programming and research for children as well as adults. The internationally acclaimed living collection of over 20,000 desert plants, with particular emphasis on those inhabiting the Sonoran Desert, continues to serve the public and scientific community. [more inside]
posted by netbros on Feb 7, 2009 - 13 comments

Useful Reference for the Gardener or those who just want to learn more about the plants around them: for example, calendula, which yellow flower is seeding all over my yard. Once you've learned how to grow it, you can visit Mrs. Grieve's Modern Herbal, which will tell you what to do with your harvest. Don't forget to check the handy Index of Poisons before you move on to the recipes.
posted by mygothlaundry on Aug 1, 2005 - 5 comments

Antique Botanical Prints from Panteek, and many more.
posted by hama7 on May 23, 2003 - 3 comments