Treasured Trees

A celebration of trees with beautiful botanical art at its centre, along with entertaining and informative text. Paintings by botanical artist Masumi Yamanaka illustrate the oldest and finest trees at Kew Gardens, showing flowers, foliage and fruit at different stages throughout the year. The artist’s preface describes the artistic process from sketch to finished work. Christina Harrison’s introductory chapter on the history of tree collecting and introduction highlights their importance, from their practical applications to the sheer wonder of their beauty. Some trees featured were planted in the 18th century, with many now rare in the wild. Each tree is accompanied by the artist’s commentary on her personal experience with it and writing by Martyn Rix describing natural distribution and cultivation history, and points of interest including uses and associated wildlife.