Spring is one of the most exciting times in the garden, when our perennial plants start to poke their heads through the soil and flowers, such as snowdrops and early daffodils herald warmer weather. These gorgeous flowers are represented in our museum collections too. 

Archives volunteer, Claire Young, has curated a display of botanical prints which represent plants, which we can find in the garden at Winterbourne.

These prints were all made by James Sowerby, one of the most significant botanical illustrators of the late 18^th century. 

Sowerby was renowned for the scientific accuracy of his illustrations, which frequently depicted the whole plant, including the bulb and roots.

His engravings were originally hand-coloured by skilled artists. Our set of Sowerby prints, which numbers over 1,000, was probably a later print run, perhaps made in the early 19^th century.

The display can be seen in the Herbarium exhibition on the first floor and will be replaced by a stunning summer selection later in the year!