American Girl Gives English Audience their Botanic History

American Botanic Researcher from the RHS Lindley Library, Annika Erikson visited the Luton Hoo Walled Garden project this Saturday to give an illustrated talk to visitors to the Arts Group, on Georg Dionysius Ehret and his connections with Lord Bute.

Lord Bute was a keen botanist who presided over the work of Kew Gardens, was Prime Minister for a period, and had Capability Brown design the gardens at Luton Hoo, where he lived.

It was interesting to learn about some of the artists and personalities involved in the beginnings of botanic art and the dichotomy between the art and the science.
The Portakabin venue was filled to capacity and the audience were enthusiastic in their appreciation for Erika's talk and slideshow.

I took the opportunity to take photographs of some the work being carried out in the gardens, and the people attending the talk. I met Chris Willmot an artist whose work on moths is going to be a feature in castings to be hung using the hooks which already exist for the support of plants along the dividing wall. I took some shots of the early examples whilst talking to the artist about his forthcoming project and book.