(London: Cassell and Company, Limited, 1908).

FIRST EDITION, LIMITED TO 100 COPIES ONLY, ILLUSTRATED THROUGHOUT. A masterful study by one of the curators of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew where millions of people from around the world visit each year. This work provides the best history of what is arguably the greatest botanical establishment in the world. And it provides an rich explanation of the aims, the work and the leading principles on which it is conducted. As the book explains, Kew Gardens at the time was made by a union of two famous estates or demesnes, Kew Gardens proper and the Royal Gardens of Richmond. Early in the eighteenth century, they became, and remained for one hundred years, the favorite retreat of the Royal Family, and for nearly three centuries, kings and queens, princes and princesses, statesmen, scientific men and women and landscape gardeners have each in their turn, helped to extend and to beautify them. The Kew Gardens of today, more popular than ever before, represent the work of many minds. This book provides a wonderful tour through history and gardening both. Item #33635

First Edition, Large Paper, Numbered and Limited to 100 copies only, A copy with pleasing provenance having come from the holdings of the London and Middlesex Archeological Library. Illustrated throughout with 20 fine colourplates tipped onto full-pages, each with descriptive tissue guards from paintings by H.A. Olivier and 40 half-tone plates from photographs by E.J. Wallis. Large 4to, publisher's original fully decorated cloth, the spine beautifully decorated and lettered in gilt and dark-green, the upper cover elaborately decorated in all over designs of gilt and dark-green surrounded by double fillet and elaborate borders. Royal Coat of Arms at the center. xx, 222 pp. A very handsome copy, very well preserved, clean and tight with only minimal evidence of age or use.