Flora Illustrata Great Works from the Luesther T Mertz Library of the New York Botanical Garden

The renowned LuEsther T. Mertz Library of The New York Botanical Garden counts among its holdings many of the most beautiful and pioneering botanical and horticultural works ever created. More than eight centuries of knowledge, from the twelfth century to the present, are represented in the libraryandrsquo;s collection of over one million items. In this sumptuously illustrated volume, international experts introduce us to some of the libraryandrsquo;s most fascinating worksandmdash;exceedingly rare books, stunning botanical artworks, handwritten manuscripts, Renaissance herbals, nursery catalogs, explorersandrsquo; notebooks, and more. The contributors hold these treasures up for close inspection and offer surprising insights into their histories and importance.

and#160;

The diverse materials showcased in the volume reflect the creative efforts of eminent explorers, scientists, artists, publishers, and print makers. From the rare, illuminated pages of Pliny the Elderandrsquo;s Naturalis historia (1483), to the earliest book ever published on American insects (1797), to lovely etchings of the water gardens at Villa Pratolino in Florence (1600s), the Mertz Library holdings will inspire in readers a new appreciation for the extraordinary history of botany and its far-reaching connections to the worlds of science, books, art, and culture.

and#8220;The LuEsther T. Mertz Library is unquestionably one of the great treasures of the world. Flora Illustrata reveals with stunning scholarship the deeply intertwined history of plants, science, and humanity. Rich and fascinating beyond imagination and now accessible to anyone. A triumph of a book.and#8221;and#8212;Thomas E. Lovejoy, George Mason University

and#8220;As a synthetic grouping, Flora Illustrata is an important and useful contribution. The essays are rich, and are accompanied by some wonderful illustrations. This is a lavish book, successful in its objectives, and useful to a wide audience.and#8221;and#8212;Daniel Lewis, Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens

and#8220;An erudite and sumptuous exploration of the timeless fascination of people with plants, which along the way reveals the origins of one of the world's great botanical gardens.and#8221;and#8212;Peter Crane, author of Ginkgo: The Tree That Time Forgot

and#8220;The LuEsther T. Mertz Library at the New York Botanical Garden is surely the greatest research botanical library in the world, a precious repository of knowledge from cultures all over the world and spanning from the 12thand#160;century to the 21st.and#160;Plantsand#8212;from which we ultimately derive all of our food, building materials, and medicinesand#8212;are also a source of great beauty and wonder.and#160;Flora Illustrataand#160;celebrates all this, and speaks of an intimate relationship between art and science. It is equally a feast for the mind and the eyes.and#8221;and#8212;Oliver Sacks

"Equally a feast for the mind and the eyes.and#8221;and#8212;Oliver Sacks

andquot;Flora Illustrata will inspire in readers an new appreciation for the extraordinary history of botany and its far-reaching connections to the worlds of science, books, art, and culture.andquot;andmdash;Journal of Antiques and Collectibles

andquot;Flora Illustrata serves up a cornucopia of delights from the shelves of the magnificently named LuEsther T. Mertz Library . . . A fascinating miscellany and an inducement to read more on the topics, and a serious temptation to hop on a plane and visit the library, and gardens, in person.andquot;andmdash;Gardens Illustrated

andquot;There are sumptuous illustrations and essays throughout that youand#39;ll want to return to again and again. It is, quite simply, a book youand#39;ll treasure forever.andquot;andmdash;Garden Design Online

andldquo;Flora Illustrata is a treat for the eyes.andquot;andmdash;Julie Lasky, New York Times

andquot;Richly informative, visually stunning . . . . This enchanting collection is a comprehensive resource on the history, science, and art of botany, and an object of beauty in itself.andquot;andmdash;Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

andquot;Both handsome and informative . . . . I only wish the book were even longer.andquot;andmdash;Dominique Browning, New York Times Book Review

andquot;Bound to delight your favorite gardener.andquot;andmdash;Vogue

andquot;Presents some of the most rigorous, as well as the strangest and most beautiful, forms of scientific investigation into plants and gardens . . . The botanistsand#39; and horticulturalistsand#39; arts are well represented here, as are the commerce of plants and the myriad expressions of European garden and estate design, but the focus remains on plant life, in all its exquisite and unsettling glory.andquot;andmdash;Landscape Architecture

andquot;A gift sure to please the gardener who also is a history buff.andquot;andmdash;Star-Ledger

Winner of the 2015 American Horticultural Societyand#39;s Book Award.

andquot;Whether you read it as an enlightening study, use it to add pizzazz to your homeandrsquo;s design or model your own garden on it using the classic layouts, Flora Illustrata will delight all who have an appreciation for flowers.andquot;andmdash;Romantic Homes

Winner of the Council on Botanical andHorticultural Libraries Annual Lterature Award for 2015.

An exquisitely illustrated volume in celebration of the world s foremost library of botanical works
The renowned LuEsther T. Mertz Library of The New York Botanical Garden counts among its holdings many of the most beautiful and pioneering botanical and horticultural works ever created. More than eight centuries of knowledge, from the twelfth century to the present, are represented in the library s collection of over one million items. In this sumptuously illustrated volume, international experts introduce us to some of the library s most fascinating works exceedingly rare books, stunning botanical artworks, handwritten manuscripts, Renaissance herbals, nursery catalogs, explorers notebooks, and more. The contributors hold these treasures up for close inspection and offer surprising insights into their histories and importance.
The diverse materials showcased in the volume reflect the creative efforts of eminent explorers, scientists, artists, publishers, and print makers. From the rare, illuminated pages of Pliny the Elder s Naturalis historia (1483), to the earliest book ever published on American insects (1797), to lovely etchings of the water gardens at Villa Pratolino in Florence (1600s), the Mertz Library holdings will inspire in readers a new appreciation for the extraordinary history of botany and its far-reaching connections to the worlds of science, books, art, and culture."

An exquisitely illustrated volume in celebration of the worldand#8217;s foremost library of botanical works

Susan M. Fraser is director, the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, The New York Botanical Garden. She lives in New York City. Vanessa Bezemer Sellers is Humanities Research Coordinator at The New York Botanical Garden, and a landscape and garden historian.