Where Art Meets Science is the culmination of 40 years of observing and illustrating the varied aspects of plants. Over this time I have created more than 1600 illustrations, some are just quick sketches, some are more detailed studies and some are resolved paintings or drawings. I have worked hard over the years to digitise and organise my drawings alphabetically in their plant families. It is often surprising to find out which plants are related and what features they have in common.

Finally in my 80's, I have compiled a selection of the illustrations so that I can share them. I discovered that my artwork reduced down well, so I am presenting this book as something small and hand-sized, that can be picked up and opened at any page. The short texts that accompany each family give information on family characteristics and other points of interest.

The aim of the book is to inspire people to discover and observe the details of plants, through drawing and painting in a range of art media.

Many people ask me where I find my inspiration, and I reply ‘in the ditch and in the gutter’, meaning that inspiration can be found everywhere. Wild plants are often found in inhospitable places or areas of wasteland and as a gardener, I often find myself in close contact with specimens. Rain brings tree material down to ground level, and these discoveries can draw the eye upwards to identify where the specimen has come from.

After retirement there were opportunities to travel and seeing truly tropical plants was a revelation. Although some of my illustrations are of exotic plants, many of my drawings are of less conspicuous native plants, which I have studied closely and discovered unusual and interesting features.

I feel I have a lot to share with others about my observations of each plant, so that they, like me, need never run out of ideas for something to draw. I would like to inspire people to be amazed at nature’s ingenuity and the vast diversity within the plant world. It really is a case of ‘the more you look, the more you see’ and I hope this book encourages others to enjoy the fascinating world of plants.