Asparagales Collection

Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) on Eype Down with Colmer's Hill in background, Bridport, Dorset, England, UK. May 2014

Narcissus tazetta, tazetta daffodil
Painting by Pierre Joseph Redoute (1759-1840), from his publication Choix des plus belles fleurs (The Most Beautiful Flowers), c. 1827-33. Illustration entitled Narcisse a plusieurs fleurs

Snowdrop (Galanthus Sp. ) single flower in snow, Buckinghamshire, England, UK, February
Snowdrop (Galanthus Sp.) single flower in snow, Buckinghamshire, England, UK, February

Heathland
Original artwork for Heathland by Barbara Nicholson, signed B.E.N. copyright British Museum (Natural History) 1973, printed in England by Lund Humphries

Heathland poster with captions by Barbara Nicholson, signed B.E.N. copyright British Museum (Natural History) 1973, printed in England by Lund Humphries

Ophrys apifera, bee orchid
Watercolour by Arthur Harry Church, 17 June 1913

Cypripedium reginae, ladys slipper orchid. Also known as pi
Although the current name of this orchid is Cypripedium reginae, the name on the original plate reads Cypripedium spectabile, which may have been the name accepted at the time

Vegetable roots
Plate 4 from Le Regne Vegetal, Vol 12, Hort. Atlas (1870). Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London. Entitled Racines alimentaires

Cypripedium calceolus, Ladys slipper orchid
Watercolour from British Orchids (1792-1817), by Franz Andreas Bauer (1758-1840). Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Angraecum sesquipedale, Madagascan orchid
This species of orchid was used by Darwin to prove his theories of evolution. Illustration from The British Museum (Natural History) by Peter Whitehead and Colin Keates, 1981

Cypripedium candidum, small white lady s-slipper
Illustration from the Botany Library Plate Collection held at the Natural History Museum, London

Food plant bulbs
Plate 8 from Le Regne Vegetal, Vol 12, Hort. Atlas (1870). Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London. Illustration entitled Plantes bulbeuses alimentaires

Cypripedium calceolus, Ladys Slipper Orchid
Originally published in: Paxtons magazine of botany, and register of flowering plants. Published in London. December 1836. Natural History Museums Botany Library. Plate Collection number 169

Wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) Bay, Ullswater, Lake District, England, UK, March

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) in flower, Lenaderg House, Banbridge Co. Down, Northern Ireland

Small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly (Boloria selene), Marsland mouth, Cornwall, UK. JUne 2016

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) flowering in woodland. Near village of Alport, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, March

Quiver tree (Aloe dichotoma) with the Milky Way at night, and light pollution from town in the distance, Keetmanshoop, Namibia. Colours accentuated digitally

English bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) Lower Woods, Gloucestershire, England, UK, April

Darwins Orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale) species which is pollinated by a long-tongued moth, from Ambila, Madagascar. Photograph taken on location for BBC Wild Madagascar Series, August 2009

Phormium tenax, New Zealand flax
A watercolour commissioned by Sir Joseph Banks and sketched by Sydney Parkinson during the Endeavour Voyage. Parkinson died at sea before he could complete it

Amaryllis vittata, amaryllis
Illustration No.3 by Peter Brown, c. 1760s. Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Cattleya skinneri, English orchid
Plate 13 from Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala (1837-1843) by James Bateman. Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Coastal agave (Agave shawii) leaves. Near Bahia de Los Angeles, Baja California, Mexico

Iris sp. blue iris
Folio 67 from A Collection of Flowers (1795) by John Edwards. Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Macropus giganteus, eastern gray kangaroo and Xanthorrhoea s
Gum-plant, and Kangooroo of New Holland. Drawing 56 By George Raper, 1789

Crocus sativus, saffron
Plate 25 from Le Regne Vegetal. Vol 10 Flore Medicale Atlas 3 (1870). Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Crocus sativa, saffron
Plate 93 from Botanicum Medicinale (1759) by Timothy Sheldrake. Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Agapanthus, lily of the Nile

Red and yellow daylilies -Hemerocallis-, flowers, Quebec Province, Canada

Vanda caerulea, Himalayan orchid
Illustration from the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London. This plant was thought to be extinct in 1996

Cymbidium aloifolium, orchid
Plate 869 from the John Reeves Collection of Botanical Drawings from Canton, China. Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Allium cepa, onion
Illustration from the Botany Library Plate Collection held at the Natural History Museum, London

Vanilla planifolia, vanilla
Illustration from the Botany Library Plate Collection held at the Natural History Museum, London. Engraved by John Nugent Fitch

Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) a widespread orchid of grasslands and verges, growing on St Georges Flower Bank, Bristol, UK, June

Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) flower. UK. June

Common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) on a roadside verge near Bristol, England, UK, June

A Solomon's seal
5311951 A Solomon's seal; (add.info.: Woodblock engraving depicting a Solomon's seal, a genus of flowering plants. Dated 17th century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Vanilla Orchid vine

Bee beetle (Trichius fasciatus) usually found on flowers, in this case the Toothed orchid (Neotinea tridentata). Preci, Umbria, Italy, May

Wasp orchid, (Ophrys apifera var. trollii) growing on Cleeve Hill near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK, July

Rosy garlic (Allium roseum) naturalised in the Avon Gorge, Bristol, England, UK, June

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) at Siccaridge Wood, Gloucestershire, England, UK, May

Yellow ladys slipper orchid (Cypripidium calceolus) reintroduced at Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve, Lancashire, England, UK, May

Common Solomons seal (Polygonatum multiflorum) in Cooks Wood, Somerset, UK. April 2011

Quiver trees (Aloidendron dichotomum) silhouetted against dawn sky, Namibia, May

White asphodel (Asphodelus albus) flowerhead. Cyprus. April

Autumn squill (Scilla autumnalis) Sark, British Channel Islands, August

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Asparagales, a diverse order of flowering plants, encompasses a wide range of captivating species. Among them is the Narcissus tazetta, commonly known as the tazetta daffodil, which adds vibrant hues to heathlands and meadows. In February, even amidst snow-covered landscapes in Buckinghamshire, England, the delicate Snowdrop (Galanthus Sp. ) emerges as a solitary flower symbolizing hope and resilience. Eype Down showcases nature's masterpiece with an enchanting display of Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), harmoniously blending with Colmers Hill in the background. The Ophrys apifera or bee orchid captivates observers with its remarkable resemblance to a buzzing insect. The Cypripedium reginae or lady's slipper orchid stands tall and proud; also referred to as "pi, " it exudes elegance and grace. Angraecum sesquipedale from Madagascar astonishes with its long nectar spur that entices only one pollinator - Darwin's predicted moth. In contrast, the Cypripedium candidum displays small white lady's-slipper flowers delicately dotting their surroundings like pearls on green velvet. Beneath the surface lies another wonder: vegetable roots nourishing life above ground while remaining hidden from view. Heathlands provide sanctuary for various flora including Cypripedium calceolus or ladys slipper orchids that thrive in these unique habitats. These extraordinary flowers demand attention with their intricate shapes and vivid colors. Lastly, let us not forget about food plant bulbs – essential ingredients for our culinary delights. Asparagales includes numerous edible species whose bulbs contribute to our gastronomic pleasures while simultaneously beautifying our gardens. From breathtaking blooms adorning landscapes to hidden treasures beneath the soil's surface, it offers an array of wonders waiting to be discovered by those who appreciate the beauty and diversity of the natural world.