A watercolour of a narcissus radiiflorus, narcissus poeticus, fritillaria imperialis and two primula x pubescens. Inscribed in pen and ink at the upper right corner of the sheet: 13. Folio 13 of Alexander Marshal's florilegium, begun in about 1650 and added to until his death. The 159 sheets show plants and flowers of English gardens over the course of a year. Manuscript florilegia were common in continental Europe in the seventeenth century, but this flower book is apparently unique in English art of the period. The spectacular Crown imperial was introduced to western Europe from Constantinople in 1576 and was grown in England soon after. Narcissus radiiflorus originated from the Balkans, and the Poet’s narcissus was one of the earliest forms of the plant to be cultivated in England in the early sixteenth century. Auricula, commonly known as Bear's Eyes, were highly prized and exclusive flowers only grown in the finest gardens.