Focus
The Highgrove Florilegium is published
21st April 2008
Two of The Prince’s passions, horticulture and painting, have been combined in a new book, The Highgrove Florilegium.
The Highgrove Florilegium is a collection of more than 120 original prints from watercolour paintings celebrating the gardens at Highgrove, and represents the culmination of over six years work. All proceeds from the book will go to charity.
Leading botanical artists were invited to The Prince’s organic gardens at Highgrove, and captured in watercolours the plants and trees from the 15 acre estate which have been grown under The Prince’s stewardship. Click here to view a gallery.
The work was submitted for selection by an expert panel, and the resulting collection shows a cross section of the Highgrove fauna, from trees and flowers, to vegetables and herbs.
Some of the best contemporary botanical artists have contributed to the work, including Fay Ballard, Josephine Hague, Katherine Manisco, Kate Nessler and Jenny Phillips.
In the Highgrove Florilegium, published by Addison Publications, each depicted plant is accompanied by detailed text, including its formal Latin name and a description giving a brief history of its discovery or creation, distribution, ecology and uses.
The artists are still working on plants that will form the second volume and the first bound copies of Volume 2 are expected in the summer of 2009.
Each set will be personally signed by The Prince of Wales.
All royalties from sales of the set of books will go to The Prince’s Charities Foundation to support its activities.
The Prince's Charities Foundation enables The Prince of Wales to give his support to a wide range of causes and projects by making charitable donations.
Donations are made to a wide range of charities including organisations working with environmental issues, health and hospices, community and welfare, education and training, heritage and the built environment, charities supporting servicemen and women and towards people affected by natural disasters.
Each volume, which has been painstakingly produced, will measure 650 x 475 x 60 mm (approx 2 feet 2 inches x 1 foot 7 inches x 2 inches) and will be offered for sale by subscription in two volumes in a leather half-binding at £10,950.
The garden at Highgrove is now one of the most well-known organic gardens in the United Kingdom.
Since The Prince of Wales moved into his country home, Highgrove, in 1981 he has steadily developed the organic garden which is now greatly admired for its combination of planting and thoughtful design.
Around 25,000 visitors tour the garden each year and learn about the clear advantages of pesticide and chemical-free gardening.
Click here to view a gallery.
Contact Addison Publications for further information on 020 7602 1848, or visit the website at www.addisonpublications.com.