Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Nice book in great condition. Pages in excellent condition. Images are beautiful bright and vivid. No notes or highlighting. See images. Fantastic book.

About the book >.>.> The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew has the oldest collection of cultivated orchids in the world dating back to the 18 Century Kew’s orchid collection was known to Charles Darwin who was passionate about orchids especially the UK native species that grew profusely on a bank near his house at Downe in Kent. Kew’s contribution to Darwin’s orchid studies arose from his close friendship with Joseph Hooker who became Kew’s second director in 1865 upon the death of his father Sir William Hooker. Both Hookers undoubtedly shared with Darwin their knowledge of the tropical orchid species grown in abundance at Kew. Joseph Hooker established the first full-time post for an orchid specialist at Kew in the 1880s; Kew’s incomparable living and preserved orchid collections have attracted eminent scientists and horticulturists ever since. In the early 1980s Kew embarked upon The Sainsbury Orchid Conservation Project orchid growing having been Lady Sainsbury’s passion for many years. This project sought to propagate UK native species for reintroduction into the wild at selected sites. Its success led to the publication by Phillip Cribb and Christopher Bailes of Hardy Orchids (1983) which provided useful information on basic techniques for growers. Since then hardy orchids have become more popular with growers new techniques and composts have been developed and nursery-raised stock has become widely available and a more up-to- date account is now needed urgently. (LL)