We travelled down to Pemberton a couple of weeks ago and while travelling through the forests we came across an old favourite of ours, The Marianne North Tree. The image on the right is my photo this year and the image on the left Marianne North's painting from 1880. Very little change!
An intrepid traveller, Marianne North recorded flora from around the world with her paintbrush. She visited Australia in 1880 and spent much time painting the flora and scenery of the south-west of Western Australia.
Her painting of this distinctive karri tree now hangs in the Marianne North Gallery at the Kew Botanic Gardens in London with more than 800 of her other paintings.
If you get a chance to visit this gallery I really urge you to do so, it is quite fascinating and extraordinary to think of this single Victorian lady travelling all over the world in the 1880s, on her own, and creating this amazing collection.
I'm very familiar with the Marianne North Gallery, Judith, as I lived in Kew for 23 years. I also have the book. I was a very regular visitor to the gardens and all my children were pushed around in their prams. I agree, the gallery is fascinating and Marianne North was an amazing woman. Fav.
