Paxton wanted to create an important botanical magazine with 'Engravings of Plants, of the natural size, beautifully coloured, from original drawings'. Several important artists contributed to this work, including Samuel Holden, whose celebrated depictions of orchids are included. In addition to complete botanical descriptions and historical details, the letterpress accompanying each plate is illustrated with numerous woodcuts of plans of flower gardens, elevations of garden structures, utensils and instruments for florists, and figures for the proper management and development of the specimen. Paxton was head gardener to the Duke of Devonshire at his great Chatsworth estate, which he made one of the most famous gardens of Europe. The plants depicted include many exotic species newly introduced to England. The drawings on which the plates are based are by F.W. Smith, S. Holden, C.J. Fleming, and O. Jewitt.

First edition. 16 volumes, 8vo(23 x 160 cm). 717 engraved and lithographic plates, of which 716 hand-coloured and of flowers after drawings by F. W. Smith, S. Holden, C. J. Fleming, and O. Jewitt, of which 26 folding or double-page, and one tinted lithographic plate of the fountain at Chatsworth in vol. XI, woodcut vignettes in text,bookplates, occasional light spotting, one plate in vol. 5 and 11 plates in vol. 16 more heavily affected, folding plate in vol. 13 with tiny tear;bound in recent dark-green quarter morocco, edges slightly rubbed; overall a very attractive copy.

Great Flower Books (1990) p.161 (768 plates); Nissen BBI 2351 (768 plates); Stafleu & Cowan 7554 (723 plates).