Description
Botanical Wall Art Limited Edition – Blattaria Verbascum from Volume I of the 1st Duchess of Beaufort’s florilegium – Limited Print Run of 300
The plant in the middle is Verbascum blattaria or ‘moth mullein’. ‘Blattaria’ is the Latin for cockroach and refers to the plant’s properties as a cockroach repellent. People used an infusion of the leaves to cure a cough in cattle, and it was reputed to relieve diarrhoea in humans. It is native to Eurasia and North Africa and more recently became naturalised in America. The plants either side are different types of horminum, a species of salvia, which was thought to have antiseptic properties (‘salvia’ coming from the Latin salvus meaning safe or well). The gardens of Badminton today grow Verbascum and Salvia plants.
History
In 1703, Mary Somerset, first Duchess of Beaufort, commissioned Everard Kik, a Dutch botanical artist, to create a series of paintings. These showcased the extraordinary variety of plants she had grown from seeds sent to her from all over the world. They later bound the final collection of 178 paintings into a two-volume album, a “florilegium.” Badminton House holds the album, where Mary lived and grew many of her plants. Reflecting on her passion for plants, Duchess Mary once wrote, “When I get into stories of plants, I know not how to get out.” Her legacy flourishes at Badminton Estate, where her early interests have shaped the gardens and glasshouses to this day.
In 2024, for the first time in 300 years, the public had the opportunity to view these works of art. The exhibition provided a rare glimpse into the Duchess’s phenomenal botanical collection. These artworks showcase the diverse flora Duchess Mary nurtured and her influence on scientific exploration and cultural appreciation of nature.
This botanical wall art limited edition will enchant any bedroom wall and make a wonderful gift.
