SYDENHAM EDWARDS

The Botanical Register was started by the artist Sydenham Edwards in 1815 and continued to flourish under the editorship of John Lindley until 1847. This was an age of intense interest in botany and flower drawing, and the Botanical Register was renowned for its beautifully illustrated and hand coloured plates. The mysterious 'Miss Drake' illustrated a large number of the plates for the Register - very little is known about her except that she lived in Turnham Green in London, where John Lindley also lived, and it is thought that Miss Drake may have been related to his wife.