This treasure of botanical literature records the flowers of the grounds at Eichstätt, Bavaria, once some of the most beautiful gardens in history.

First published in 1613, the copperplate engravings by Basilius Besler (1561–1629) capture the spectacular diversity of the palatial Bavarian gardens. The illustrations are organized by season and, following the classification system used today, show plants belonging to a total of 90 families and covering 340 genera. The whole collection is regarded as one of the finest treasures of botanical literature; it was described by Carl Linnaeus, the legendary 18th-century botanist and zoologist, as an “incomparable work.”

This book is 544 pages, and features over 367 exquisite plates.

Available