‘‘Botanical Liverpool’ series: Painting No.3

“Hedychium Gardnerianum”

For The Liverpool Botanical Trust, Croxteth Hall

Original watercolour on Arches Smooth paper.

Size 53cm x 74cm.

Part of a series of paintings of significant and iconic plants from across the Liverpool region.

The paintings will be exhibited in 2025. Limited edition giclee prints are available.

Hedychium Gardnerianum is a stunning example from the Ginger family of plants. It was named by William Roscoe, and has the most heavenly scent. It can be grown outside in the UK.

It is featured as a botanical illustration alongside other Hedychium specimens, in William Roscoe’s comprehensive document ‘Monandrian Plants of the order Scitamineae’, many of which were painted by his daughter-in-law, Margaret Roscoe, chiefly drawn at the Liverpool Botanical Trust. The book is noteworthy for being a true local production, both being made and published in Liverpool.

I wanted to paint it as I found it to give a sense of just how complex and multi-dimensional these structures are. This painting will be shown as a pair, to sit alongside a Curcuma alismatifolia illustration. They will both be on display at the Liverpool Botanical Trust’s ‘Ginger Family’ seminar in March.

There will be some limited edition prints available.