The Orchid: From the Archives of the Royal Horticultural Society
At first glance, this book appears to be yet another lavish  coffee-table work showcasing this extravagant group of plants.  However, it is actually a substantial volume, featuring  paintings and drawings of orchids from the Lindley Library of  the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), London the institution  that has played a significant role in promoting and fostering  the development of orchid horticulture in the West. The first  part features illustrations from a variety of sources, with  accompanying text about the cultivation and natural history of  orchids by Griffiths, editorial consultant of the authoritative  RHS periodical, Orchid Review, and editor of The New Royal  Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. The RHS has been  awarding orchids and commissioning paintings of the winners  since 1896, and the second half of the book is devoted to  reproducing these watercolors for the first time. There are a  few flaws a couple of the watercolors are miscaptioned, and the  text font is small and somewhat difficult to read but these are  minor detractions from what is otherwise a fabulous work. Highly  recommended for horticultural collections and larger public  libraries. Brian Lym, City Coll. of San Francisco Lib.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.