Author: Loudon, Jane Wells
Title: The Ladies' Flower-Garden [comprising] Ornamental Annuals (1844); Ornamental Perennials (1850); Ornamental Bulbous Plants (1850); Ornamental Greenhouse Plants (1860) and British Wild Flowers (1859), in 5 volumes, complete
Description: London: William Smith or William S. Orr or James Nelson, 1844-1860. Second and third edition Pp. xviii, 272; xv, 341; x, 270; xii, 215; xvi, 311; 298 hand-colored lithographed plates after color paintings by Mrs. Loudon and lithography by Day and Haghe (collated complete). Contemporary one-half green morocco leather by George Bayntun over pale green cloth set off my gilt lines, spine with five raised bands, each band is set off by gilt panel lines, lettered in gilt in two compartments and with gilt ornaments in the other four compartments, top page edge in gilt, original marbled endpapers, 4to (11.75 x 8.75 inches; 290 x 225 mm). This is a complete set of Loudon's principal floral works in a very attractive contemporary one-half green morocco binding, all volumes are in the second or third edition. Here are each volume's details: Ornamental Annuals (1844), second edition, with 48 hand-colored plates; Ornamental Perennials (1850), second edition, with 90 hand-colored plates; Ornamental Bulbous Plants (1850), second edition, with 58 hand-colored plates; Ornamental Greenhouse Plants (1860), third edition with 42 hand-colored plates and British Wild Flowers (1859), third edition, with 60 hand-colored plates. Jane Loudon was a self-taught artist who became a very successful botanical artist. She invented a unique style where she depicts living flowers in the form of bouquets using bright colors; this style was quickly accepted by leading gardeners of the day. This unique artistic style was utilized in the production of the fine color plates illustrating her botanical works. Loudon also developed a unique writing style; she knew the horticultural books of the day were written in a technical and scientific style, so she adopted a more breezy style that made gardening a more accessible recreational activity especially for women. The botanical books she published became very successful and went through numerous editions. See also Nissen BBI 1253, 1237, 1235, 1233, 1236 and Great Flower Books (1990), p. 115. No ownership marks and no signs of use Some light foxing to the rear (blank) side of three plates, some marginal light foxing to a few other plates never affecting the images, two plates trimmed close to the image, the text and fine color plates are very bright and clean as is the fine one-half morocco binding by George Bayntun; a very bright and clean copy in near fine condition..

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