It’s about time I revealed this little obsession of mine. I love botanical prints, the more scientific and instructional the better, and they’re finally back in style. Moving away from simple outlines and bold floral forms, botanical prints are all about the details. Roots, stems, stamens, offshoots – these are flowers as they really look, in all their glory.
Kartos botanical print paper from Paper Mojo; medicinal print from Vintage View; Spring Freesia mug by Alma Pottery; watercolour from The Botanical Concept; lily print from Judiths Botanical Art; wall of botanical prints via In Bloom; antique poppies print from Fine Rare Prints; vintage botanical paintings from The Lovelys; botanical wall paper via flikr.
Line drawings rendered with a thin-tipped pen and depth created by washes of ink are characteristic of original prints, with aged paper and slightly faded colours lending them a stylish vintage edge. But this is a style that’s quite easy to fake (which is lucky, since genuine prints are a bit pricey) as more designers and artists have started replicating vintage styles.
You can have botanical wallpaper, tote bags, stationary, ceramics, bed sheets…. I like the traditional print though. A collection of differently sized and shaped prints hung in frames on one wall make a beautiful statement. One of the best places to get antique and vintage-style botanical prints is Potobello market. From small, aged black and white sketches to large, colourful framed prints, they’re all there for the taking.
It’s the attention to detail that makes old-fashioned botanical pictures such as pleasure. The characteristics and tendencies of each flower is lovingly communicated, often including sketches of the bulbs and seeds and post-flowering form. A beautiful timeline of your favourite flowers makes a great edition to your decor.
