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Plate 8

Colour engraved plate entitled 'Leaves' from 'The Vegetable System' by John Hill, M.D. published in 1761 under the patronage of Lord Bute. Hill, a doctor and apothecary who had a botanic garden at Bayswater, London, published many works including herbals. His 'Vegetable System', a new way of classifying plants based on their flowers, was published in 26 volumes. Hill is sometimes known as Sir John Hill as he was made a Knight of the Swedish Order of Vasa in 1774.

The Fountain Court

Watercolour on board of a scene in the gardens at Dyffryn House, South Wales by Edith Helena Adie. Adie was born in London and studied at the Slade School of Art and the Royal Academy. She was a member of the New Watercolour Society specialising in landscapes and garden views. Adie also lived and painted in Bordighera, Italy. Her paintings of the gardens at Dyffryn House designed by Thomas Mawson in 1906, were commissioned by the owner Reginald Cory (1871-1934) a passionate gardener and benefactor to horticultural causes. This painting is dated August 13th 1923.

'Blush Provence rose'

Watercolour on vellum by James Bolton inscribed 'James Bolton pinxit, Stannary near Halifax'. Bolton was born in West Yorkshire, England and was the son of a weaver. He was a self- taught botanist, artist and engraver. His brother Thomas Bolton (1722-1778) was also a naturalist. James Bolton was highly successful as a mycologist and author of several botanical books including the first British book on fungi. James and Thomas Bolton were both sponsored by the art and natural history collector Margaret Cavendish Bentinck, Duchess of Portland (1715-1785). Painting date c.1790s.