Jenny Hyde Johnson receiving her Best Exhibit Award

The RHS Botanical Art Show 2026 - how to visit
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RHS Botanical Art 2026: Mary Crabtree and Christiane Fashek

RHS Botanical Art 2026: Gillian Condy from South Africa

RHS Botanical Art 2026:Jenny Hyde Johnson from South Africa

RHS Botanical Art Show 2026: Judging Criteria

​RHS Botanical Art Awards 2026
​- for outstanding botanical artwork

Charlotte Brooks - RHS Art Curator and Secretary of the Judging Panel - introducing the awards for the RHS Botanical Art Show 2026

RHS Best Botanical Art Exhibit 2026: Fynbos Diversity of the Coastal Limestones on Grootbos by Jenny Hyde-Johnson

​Limestones of the Southern Cape Coast are new rocks; being only about two million years old. They overlay older dominant sandstones and form small islands' in the landscape, home to highly adapted endemic fynbos. Limestone Fynbos is extremely threatened in the areas surrounding Grootbos Nature Reserve due to invasive non-native vegetation and nabitat destruction

I've been illustrating plants from Grootbos since 2019 and I wanted to seize the opportunity of highlighting these endangered limestone plants. I included a non-endemic Oxalis found growing in the calcrete, for interest and colour
Jenny Hyde-Johnson

REFERENCE NOTE:
​Fynbos is a unique, fire-prone shrubland and heathland vegetation found primarily in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. The term derives from the Afrikaans/Dutch for "fine bush"

“Grootbos” means “Big Bush” in English. The area is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom

The coastal limestone found at the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve in South Africa's Western Cape shapes the region's dramatic geography, archaeological heritage, and unique fynbos ecosystems. ​The calcareous, calcium-rich soils of the coastal limestone provide the foundation for highly specific fynbos vegetation

RHS Botanical Art Show 2026: Best Artwork - Syncarpha argyropsis and Erica Coccinea in degrading limestone - by Jenny Hyde-Johnson

Detail of the Best Artwork by Jenny Hyde-Johnson in the RHS Botanical Art Show 2026. Note the variety in the greens and the white flowers on white paper.

My exhibition presents wildflowers native to Jeju Island, observed and recorded across a wide range of ecological environments, from coastal areas to high-altitude habitats. My artworks are organised into six thematic sections. Following the rhythm of the seasons, I explore the life cycles of these plants and highlight species that are now endangered. The island was formed following a volcanic eruption about 2 million years ago and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mountain at the centre is called Hallasan Nature Reserve.

100 Wild Flowers on Jeju Island by Hyunjin Cho - first three paintings

“This series of drawings is a glorious celebration of the rich diversity of the wildflowers of Jeju Island. The scale of work Hyunjin Cho has undertaken is truly impressive, she has extensively researched her subject and brought to life an astonishing array of flowering plants.”
RHS Botanical Art Judges

100 Wild Flowers on Jeju Island by Hyunjin Cho - second three paintings

RHS Gold Medals x 6
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Tree Fungus by Bernard Carter

"The Best Leaf in the Show" by Mary Crabtree

Central Panel of Raucous Glaucous by Christiane Fashek (RHS 2026)

Christiane uses scale, perspective, and color to highlight lichens’ fascinating features and draw attention to their role as environmental sentinels.

Raucous Glaucous by Christiane Fashek - 3 pairs of lichens magnified 16 times. Left = wet and Right = Dry

My interest in illustrating grasses led to an invitation to Transvlvania to contribute to James and Rachel de Candle's herbarium and field guide of the local flora. Thousands of hectares of centuries old grassland in the region are vulnerable to the pressures of modern farming techniques. Recording these plants is an amazing project.

Throughout this project my aim was to capture the character and individuality of each grass. It was no surprise to find specimens identical to those at home. Only the flamboyant Chrysopogon gryllus was unknown to me, it being native to Central Europe and Asia.
Sally Pond - Exhibit Description

Sally Pond with her exhibit of "Grasses from the Greater Tarnava Valley, Southern Transylvania"

Asarum species of Japan by Eriko Yamada

Asarum is a genus of perennial understory plant in the family Aristolochiaceae, characterised by ground-level flowers and species-specific leaf forms. 

In Japan, the genus shows high endemism and pronounced regional differentiation, making it an important group for understanding forest ecosystems and evolutionary diversity. I visit regionally endemic habitats of Asarum across Japan to observe and draw these plants. Some of the species I document are considered threatened, and this work serves as both artistic practice and biological record.

More to come!

Title Poster from the 2025 Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition

Dear fellow artists, colleagues and supporters of the Margaret Flockton Award,
 
Recently we have received queries from many of you, regarding the timing of the Margaret Flockton Award 2026. Our response has been a little tardy while we considered the recent decision that the Award will not proceed from 2026 onwards. After almost a quarter of a century of commitment to this annual showcase of the best of international botanical illustration, we know that many of you will be as saddened to hear of this conclusion as we were.

Since 2003 the Margaret Flockton Award and Exhibition has been a mainstay of the annual event calendar for the Botanic Gardens of Sydney. From our first exhibit of original drawings in the Red Box Gallery, then to the decade in the Maiden Theatre, travelling exhibitions to the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens Mt Tomah, then on to The Calyx, out to the foyer of the brand new National Herbarium of NSW Mt Annan and finally back to our original home at the Gallery at RBG Sydney, we have bent and swayed with locations, budgets, digital evolutions and pandemics. For 22 years, tens of thousands of viewers enjoyed our exhibition in-person and then online, as it fostered the love of plants and created scientific awareness through botanical illustration. In total, over 990 entries were exhibited, with over $154,000 in prize money awarded for botanical illustrations of the highest scientific, technical and artistic merit. 

The Margaret Flockton Award and Exhibition would not have been sustainable for all of these years without the incredible commitment and support of the Maple-Brown Family, through the Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens. Such support changed the lives of many artists, not only through the generous prize money offered and the opportunity to sell individual artworks, but by inspiring artists the world over to see and appreciate the work of their peers. We have watched novice artists develop over the years, inspired by the community, to become professional botanical illustrators. For giving space for these opportunities, we are extremely grateful to the Maple-Brown Family.

Public engagement was a real success story of the Margaret Flockton Award, annually representing the work of the National Herbarium of NSW and global botanical research institutions to the curious public. This flagship event of the Botanic Gardens of Sydney relied on the support of Science Leaders and Executive teams, plus the amazing assistance we received from our wonderful invigilators, drawn from the Foundation & Friends, Volunteer Guides and Mounting Room Volunteer cohorts, and fellow Botanic Gardens of Sydney staff. These generous people spent countless hours manning the exhibition space and sharing their incredible experiences and knowledge of plants, art and science. The Exhibition also took the yearly opportunity to share historically important documents and artifacts from the Daniel Solander Library collection, offering floor talks and tours for the general visitation as well as Foundation & Friends’ membership and donors.

And of course we thank you, our incredible entrants, without whom the Award would not have enjoyed such success!! Astoundingly, some artists have submitted illustrations for most, if not all, of the 23 years – your commitment and passion is memorable, thank you. For every artist who contributed, know that your work was greatly considered, appreciated, admired and discussed by both judges and the public who deeply engaged with our niche nexus of science and art. Conversations often exceeded half an hour as visitors to the exhibitions asked every type of intriguing question, plus the old faithful – ‘why do they use drawings instead of photographs?’ Your works were a vehicle to enlighten and inspire, and their influence has been broad.

Finally, we honour the legend who was Margaret Flockton, the first botanical illustrator at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney (1901-1927). The Margaret Flockton Award and Exhibition was designed to internationally highlight the immense contribution that Margaret made to Australian botanical taxonomy, as well as rewarding those who similarly strive to excel in this narrow field of illustration today. Twenty-three years since our first exhibition, we feel the Award has achieved all of those aims. Margaret’s name is now known and respected by a community of scientific illustrators around the world, as is the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, with illustration embedded in taxonomic research here since 1901.

From us, Lesley and Catherine – we can’t believe how our talk on International Womens Day in 2003 could lead us this far. It has been the most wonderful experience growing the Margaret Flockton Award with all of you over the years. We have looked forward to opening every single illustration, welcoming new artists on the scene and catching up with regular entrants. We have sincerely loved the communication and community around the Margaret Flockton Award, and the inspiration has quite literally changed how we draw! We will definitely miss seeing what is at the cutting edge of botanical illustration each year.

So now we turn to a strange year of non-stop drawing, the first in 23 years! We remain available on email and Instagram (details below) where we will endeavour to post our own work, or anything else that we find inspiring, in lieu of your lovely MFA entries. We are considering an on-line retrospective exhibition of highlights from the Margaret Flockton Award archives, so please follow us on Insta for future announcements. Feel free to reach out or even visit our lovely studio at the National Herbarium of NSW if ever you are in Sydney.

Friends, thank you so much for the last two decades, it’s been incredible.
May your plants be well pressed, and your pencil ever-sharp….

Lesley Elkan and Catherine Wardrop

Botanical Illustrators
Margaret Flockton Award Curators
National Herbarium of New South Wales
Botanic Gardens of Sydney

@rbg_illustration

Catherine Wardrop

Lesley Elkan

What Next?
​A new award for contemporary botanical illustration?

The history of the award
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Banner for the page on this website dedicated to the Margaret Flockton Award

The Jill Smythies Award 2026 Winne : Diana Carneiro - pictured with samples of her artwork and her book about botanical illustration (Photo credit: Laurence Hill)

The Jill Smythies Award 2026

Diana Carneiro is a Brazilian artist and botanical illustrator based in Curitiba. Initially training in the biological sciences in 1968, she spent 25 years teaching science and biology before turning to botanical art full time. Later studying painting, she graduated from the School of Music and Fine Arts of Paraná in 1992. A 1997 Margaret Mee Foundation fellowship took her to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where study with artist Christabel King deepened her commitment to botanical illustration. Working in watercolour and pen and ink, Diana has produced approximately 400 descriptive botanical illustrations, including newly discovered species. Her work appears in journals worldwide, and she trains illustrators through the Centro de Ilustração Botânica do Paranáthe (Center for Botanical Illustration of Paraná or CIBP), of which she is a founding member.

Diana Carneiro pictured with the Linneaus painting at the Linnean Society in London (Photo credit: Laurence Hill)

About Diana Carneiro

'From observing plants, I have come to understand that every being on Earth carries the secret of life within. As a botanical illustrator, I aim to raise awareness—especially among children and young people—about the need to preserve and restore the environments on which our existence depends. To the scientists and artists of nature who shape the history of this honourable institution, my sincere thanks.'

Find out more about the Jill Smythies Award for Excellent in Botanical Illustration and past recipients

Established in 1986 by the late Mr B E Smythies FLS, in honour of his wife, the late Florence Mary Smythies ("Jill"), whose career as a botanical artist was cut short by an accident to her right hand. Awarded to a botanical artist in recognition of excellence in published illustrations in aid of plant identification, with the emphasis on botanical accuracy and the accurate portrayal of diagnostic characteristics.

Herbarium Specimen Painting page 2 (56cm x 77cm) by Rachel Pedder-Smith

The Herbarium Specimen Painting (2006-2009)
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The painting as a whole displays one or more specimens representing each flowering plant family, in DNA classification order.

Rachel Pedder-Smith’s 18ft Herbarium Specimen Painting, which is on display at Kew Gardens, is not only scientifically accurate, it’s an exquisite and groundbreaking work of art.
Herbarium Specimen Painting at Kew Gardens | The Telegraph

At five meters long, this large-scale watercolour montage of plant bits is a rather thrilling piece of art, with some equally impressive botanical credentials: Over 700 carefully chosen Kew Herbarium specimens were used in the making, painstakingly chosen and then painted by Pedder-Smith. Some of these had been collected by British natural history luminaries, including Darwin, Hooker and Bentham. A minimum of one plant part from each of the 506 flowering plant families classified under the APG II system are depicted, making it a truly global expression of plant diversity, as well as a striking visual representation of the depth of botanical treasure held by Kew Gardens.
​Rachel Pedder-Smith brings life to dried plant specimens | Plant Curator

It contains:
- at least one specimen from each flowering plant family in the chosen classification system (506 families)
- 703 separate herbarium specimens
- at least one specimen collected in each year since the Kew herbarium was founded in 1853
 - specimens collected by natural historians such as Darwin, Spruce, Welwitch, Hooker, Bentham as well as specimens collected from important expeditions
- specimens collected by current Kew staff who can recount stories of the day they collected the specimen
- specimens which are considered to be the oldest specimens in the herbarium, dating from late 1696 and 1700
- a section of an olive leaf wreath collected from an Egyptian tomb
- an extinct plant
- plants used for human consumption

• The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew ​Exhibition Archive

About Rachel Pedder-Smith
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The Herbarium Specimen Silk Scarf

Livistona chinensis (Chinese fan palm), attributed to Vishnuprasad, c. 1825

​The Garrison Chapel, Chelsea Barracks

The entrance to the Garrison Chapel at Chelsea Barracks. Photo credit Jack Hobhouse.

Garden Museum, Lambeth

McEwen’s luminous depictions of flowers, leaves, butterflies, and decaying vegetables breathed new life into the genre. Infusing modern creativity into the centuries-old genre with his distinctive use of light and space, McEwen blurred the boundaries between botanical illustration and modern art.

Two paintings by Rory McEwen - 'Old Fashioned Rose Beech Mast & Clover Leaf' and 'Old English Florist Tulip' (Shirley Sherwood Collection)

Exhibitions about India at Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew

(Left) The Singh Twins and (right) Flora Indica

Opium Poppy Papaver somniferum, Phansakdi Chakkaphak

Gillian Barlow at the presentation of the new Royal Signature Painting to King Charless III by the RHS

What is a "Royal Signature" painting?
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The painting’s main colour palette is gold, with touches of crimson, vivid pink, coral pink, light mauve and purple and the plants featured include: Magnolia sprengeri, Magnolia campbellii, Quercus rubra ‘Bolte’s Gold’, Acer palmatum ‘Sango-Kaku’, Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’, Lindera obtusiloba, Geranium pratense ‘Wisley Blue’, Acer × conspicuum ‘Phoenix’, Cornus ‘Norman Hadden’, Geranium sanguineum, 
Geranium × oxonianum, Corydalis flexuosa, Narcissus ‘February Silver', 
Narcissus ‘Jetfire’ and Crocus.

Exhibition of the Royal Signature Paintings
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About Gillian Barlow GM (1994, 1997, joint 1999); Veitch GM
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I feel privileged that Susannah agreed to collaborate on a talk about her work, in August last year.​ To honour her contribution to botanical art, I have made the full length version of this talk available on YouTube.

​Julia Trickey

Thank you Katherine for a lovely tribute. Susannah was farewelled last week at St Judes in Bowral. Her great capacity for friendship, kindness and compassion throughout her life was celebrated as generously as she had taught, and lived. She will be missed, but remembered with love by so many.