The contribution of diplomatic, military, and naval exploits in the formation of the British Empire are well recorded, but far less well-known are those of botanic gardens which, in their own unsung way, helped to underpin the Empire s commercial success and were also instrumental in furthering botanical knowledge around the world. Christian Lamb, distinguished plantswoman and garden historian, writes in her introduction "It so happens that I 'collect' botanic gardens . . . this book is a nebulous collection of a few chosen botanic gardens from the vast array availablethe stars in their spheres . . . and the remarkable array of the often learned and entrepreneurial characters that created them.""