Auriculas through the Ages: Bear’s Ears, Ricklers and Painted Ladies

'The outrageously beautiful auricula - whether in its simple, 'primitive' form seen lodged in Alpine turf, or bred to the highest refinement for the urban show bench - captivates the hearts of gardeners and non-gadeners alike. But this tiny plant is more than an object of desire: it brings in its wake a spellbinding history that stretches back more than four hundred years. Roses apart, no other ornamental plant has such an intimate association with mankind. The saga is intriguing, and supreme among the tales of splendour and disappointment are the growers, breeders and exhibitors who have dedicated themselves to that seemingly impossible task: to improve on Nature itself. Many have succeeded, and Patricia Cleveland-Peck's energetic and revealing investigation [illuminated by Elisabeth Dowle's beautiful paintings] makes for an informative page-turning experience that no lover of these highly desirable plants will want to miss.' -- David Wheeler * Hortus * 'Elisabeth Dowle's style perfectly suits the delicate and exquisite auriculas she paints so beautifully. Her subtle, immaculate touch for the velvety flowers, with their intricate rims, really harks back to the past and masters like Ehret and Redoute and to the contemporary artist Rory McEwen. Her execution of the leaves ranges from mossy greens to silky greys, faithfully recording the idiosyncrasies of each hybrid. Her treatment of buds and flowering stems is amazingly accurate, making each study a true plant portrait. She has clearly been captivated by her subject. Each portrait urges the viewer to do what I intend to do - start growing auriculas again!' -- Dr Shirley Sherwood, author, curator and collector of botanical art Patricia Cleveland-Peck's energetic and revealing investigation makes for an informative page-turning experience that no lover of these highly desirable plants will want to miss.David Wheeler, Editor of Hortus -- David Wheeler, Hortus * Hortus * Elisabeth Dowle's style perfectly suits the delicate and exquisite auriculas she paints so beautifully. -- Dr Shirley Sherwood * Collector of Botanical Art *