Park fruit paintings chosen for Royal Botanic Garden display

Eight watercolours produced by botanical illustrator Ros Timperley will be included in the display. Her subjects from Clumber include a Beeley pippin apple, a Morello cherry, a black Hamburg grape, an Amsden June peach, a victoria plum, Portugal quince, Laxton's No 1 redcurrants and Mara des Bois strawberries.

After approaching head gardener Chris Margrave two years ago, Ms Timperley has made regular trips to Clumber Park to collect specimens to study.

Each of her illustrations feature fruit, foliage and flowers. Since these do not appear on the plant at the same time, it means the painting has to be done in stages, often several months apart.

Mr Margrave said: "We are delighted to have Clumber fruits feature in the watercolours and at such a prestigious exhibition.

"Ros's attention to detail is fantastic and will give those visiting the exhibition a taste of what they can expect from a visit to the walled kitchen garden here at Clumber."

Based in Derbyshire, retired teacher Ms Timperley attended a course in botanical illustration at Sheffield University under the tutelage of botanical illustrator Valerie Oxley, and took up painting as a hobby. She has twice exhibited at Royal Horticultural Society flower shows in London.

Her watercolours are now on show at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh and will remain there until Thursday, June 24.

Features of the walled kitchen garden at Clumber Park include a conservatory and palm house, a herbaceous border and vegetable plots.