BOTANICAL ART is as popular today as it has ever been, perhaps even more so, as we all realise the importance of connecting with nature in an increasingly fast-paced world. It has been scientiFically proven that just looking at pictures of plants can have a calming effect on the mind, lowering stress levels and supporting relaxation. The same is true of making things by hand - away from screens and digital distractions - and so combining the traditional craft of collage with botanical art is an immensely mindful activity that will beneFit all who have a go. Plants have been represented in art for over 4000 years but the scientiFic use of botanical illustration to record and identify plant species is believed to have begun in Ancient Greece. A physician named Crateuas (111-64BCE) is widely thought to be the First documented scientiFic botanical artist - his illustrated Rhizotomica described the medicinal properties of numerous plants known to the Greeks. The art form blossomed in the era of exploration - many early botanists were artists themselves, or hired an artist to accompany them on expeditions in the Field, as sending specimens back home risked damage or decay. An artist was often the First to ofFicially document many of the plants we know today. But even after the invention of photography, botanical illustration remained a crucial medium.

Photography can't bring each unique detail of a plant to life; whereas an artist can hone in on the way a leaf is attached to a stem, the formation of spikelets or hidden features beyond what's in a photo. Photos can be deceptive but the job of the botanical artist is to capture absolute truth. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has never gone a day without an artist in its ranks, and modern-day science still relies on this ancient tradition. It is one of the most speciFic and vital art forms that plays a major part in botanical documentation. Every painting that a trained botanical artist creates becomes the visual deFinition of its subject. At Kew, this plate becomes cemented in history as part of a 200,000-strong botanical illustrative archive. Published alongside a written description, the artist's plate is part of the deFinition of a plant. They appear in journals, oras and Field guides.

One of the best examples is Curtis's Botanical Magazine, the world's longest running, illustrated botanical journal - a deFinitive publication on botany and horticulture, continuously published since 1787, produced by Kew to this day. Many of the images in this book have come from Curtis's, and it is remarkable to see that they are as fresh and engaging today as the day they were drawn. Kew's collection is a working resource, used by Kew staff and visiting researchers as a reference tool, but as the art is appreciated by everyone, we hope that this book will bring it to a wider audience, who can engage with it on a more personal and purely aesthetic level, bringing some botanical beauty to art and craft projects in new and exciting ways.