The Botanical City

The Botanical City: A busy person’s guide to the wondrous plants to find, eat and grow in the city  is a stunning new collaboration from Kew and Hoxton Mini Press.

Illustrated with the most exquisite 18th-century artworks, The Botanical City reveals the hidden secrets of plants and flowers growing on your doorstep. Discover the wonder of urban weeds and wildflowers, their healing powers and poisons, the ancient wisdom and folklore, and get practical ideas for cooking and craft, plus expert tips on how to grow and harvest them yourself.

This fascinating new book takes inspiration from Flora Londinensis, an 18th century botanical account of London by William Curtis, housed in Kew’s Library. William Curtis is famous for establishing Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, the longest-running illustrated botanical periodical journal still published today. The plants in Flora Londinensis are not only still with us in cities all over the world but are more relevant and important than ever before.

The Botanical City brings Curtis’s work to life with modern, playful text written by Kew horticultural expert Hélèna Dove and esteemed author Harry Adès, along with beautiful botanical illustrations taken from the original work. Inside is a wealth of unusual facts, recipes, growing tips and more, making this the perfect gift.