91av

I have recently had a double helping of botanical culture, starting with a terrific exhibition at Tate Britain, London. puts a spotlight on female artists, many of whom have been unfairly forgotten, and challenges stereotypes.

Within the exhibition there is a section on flowers, including Mary Delany’s collages. Naturalist Joseph Banks said that her works were the only botanical images from which he could reliably identify a plant species.

Other highlights include detailed watercolour paintings of fruit by Augusta Innes Withers. I don’t think I’ve seen a better example of light hitting grapes (pictured above). You have until 13 October to visit.

I have also been captivated by , a book by botanist Leif Bersweden describing a year-long journey around the British Isles, exploring the region’s plants and their rich history.

Ìý