This book marks the inaugural exhibition of the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew, which opens in April 2008. Extensively illustrated and elegantly designed, this book will feature some 200 paintings and drawings from both the Kew and Shirley Sherwood collections, reflecting the richness of botanical art as a whole, providing an overview of the most significant artists from the 1600s through to contemporary artists, and demonstrating the enduring importance of botanical illustration. The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art: The Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew Gardens, opening in spring 2008, will be the first public gallery in the world dedicated to botanical art. The gallery, designed by leading architects Walters and Cohen, will exhibit precious works of art from the collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Dr Shirley Sherwood, many of which have never been on public display.The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew holds one of the world's greatest collections of botanical art, totalling over 200,000 items. Dr Shirley Sherwood holds one of the world's most comprehensive collections of contemporary botanical drawings from over 200 artists. The new gallery will adjoin the Marianne North Gallery, a display of Victorian botanical and landscape paintings.