About

The Florilegium Society was established to produce an Archive of botanical illustrations of the plants growing in Sheffield Botanical Gardens. Botanical illustration is the marrying of art and science where the structures and different stages of a plant’s life cycle are recorded in clear, scientifically accurate drawings and paintings.

The collection is of national and historical importance. Housed in Sheffield City Archives, the original artworks provide a useful source of reference and a scientific and historical record of the plant species in Sheffield Botanical Gardens. High quality reproduction prints of all artworks entered into the Archive are stored with the Society for exhibition, display, education and marketing purposes. The work of the Florilegium Society aims to support the role of Sheffield Botanical Gardens as a centre of excellence for Horticultural and Botanical Education.

Background

The idea to form a Society whose members would illustrate the planting in the Botanical Gardens, Sheffield was first proposed in 1995, about the time the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society was formed in London. It was hoped something similar could be established in the north and Sheffield seemed to be the most suitable location, using the talents in botanical art that were beginning to emerge from The University of Sheffield.

In April 2002 the idea became a reality, resulting in the successful launch of the Florilegium Society at Sheffield Botanical Gardens, with Valerie Oxley as founding Chair. Early letters of support established a connection with the Society’s first Patrons, the Vice Chancellor of The University of Sheffield, Professor Robert Boucher, the Director General of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, Dr Andrew Colquhoun, the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Professor Sir Peter Crane and the Curator of Art and Principal Research Scholar at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Pittsburgh, Mr James White.