Flowers in History

As a result of the great voyages of exploration in the sixteenth century, people in the Low Countries started cultivating exotic plants in orangeries, showing great interest in botanical novelties from the newly discovered parts of the world. In the nineteenth century, industrial developments made it possible to cultivate exotic plants on a wider scale for the greater public. A flourishing horticultural industry was established, particularly in Ghent and its surrounds. This was, to a great extent, thanks to the manifold activities of the Royal Society for Agriculture and Horticulture in Ghent, better known by the name of their exhibitions, the Ghent Floralies. Flowers in History is a pictorial celebration of this horticultural story, with fascinating illustrations of plants from the Royal Society's beautiful, sometimes unusual, photographs. The Ghent Flower Show celebrates its 200th year in 2008.