Advolly Richmond's Short History of Flowers Book Talk

Join Advolly to explore the historical uses of flowers, some of which will certainly come as a surprise. From the lavish and exotic bougainvillea, collected by an 18th century female botanist disguised as a sailor, to the short lived daylily that has fed and medicated populations in East Asia for centuries, to Christian Dior’s lucky charm, the lily of the valley.

In her fully illustrated talk, Advolly will present stories from her new book, A Short History of Flowers: The stories that make our gardens, by looking at the enriching histories of plant exploration, heartbreak, curiosity, greed, ambitious hybridising and more.

The book and talk feature a variety of botanical illustrations from Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medal Award winner, Sarah Humphrey.