Pages from Nature exhibition

Exactly two hundred years ago, one of the most important gardens in Georgian England was documented in detail by its devoted Botanic Gardener.

William Dean’s Hortus Croomensis captures Croome’s vast and varied plant collection at its glorious peak, recording over 6,000 species from across the globe.

The Pages From Nature exhibition in the House delves into this incredible book and examines the people behind its pages, including the 6th Earl of Coventry, his transformation of Croome and his lifelong passion for plant collecting. It also explores the legacy of the Hortus Croomensis and how it has inspired the restoration of Croome’s parkland and gardens today.

Beautiful new artworks have been created by members of the Gloucestershire Society of Botanical Illustration to showcase the plants of the Hortus Croomensis that still thrive at Croome today. The illustrations will be on display in the Library until February 2025.

Founded in 1993, Gloucestershire Society of Botanical Illustrators caters for all those with an interest in botanical illustration, including botanists, gardeners, illustrators and art collectors. The Society welcomes artists with all levels of skill, from total beginners to established artists. They currently have 98 members, reaching far beyond Gloucestershire.