Bauhinia blakeana The drawing for this print was made in the Botanical Garden on Hong Kong Island. When travelling, we always try to obtain local guides, maps, and information of all kinds to look for things a bit off the beaten track. We found a reference to a botanical garden in Hong Kong, and, after a taxi took us to a point fairly close on our map, we set off on foot, up a steep hill, to the gates of the garden. Everything was immaculately kept. There were elegant old specimen trees here and there, beautifully tended lawns, and a superb collection of colorful tropical birds. The place was quiet and the sun was bright and warm, with the scent of fresh sea air all around. Elderly Chinese were performing their Tai Chi rituals, and the orchid tree was in bloom. The orchid tree is most unusual in one respect: it is extinct in the wild. But it is much valued by gardeners, and it is thriving in tropical and subtropical gardens around the world. —Henry Evans
200 copies were printed and sell for $300 each.