SKU: B-000557

The Uncommon Garden

Author: Joan Law Smith

Special Features: 1st Edition, Dust Jacket, Illustrated

Condition: In good condition. The dust jacket has some sun fading, minor water marks to some edges, and light wear. The front green paper has minor white scuffs. One page join has a small scuff. Otherwise, the pages are neat, clean and tidy with beautiful illustrations.

Gardening & Environment Art, Design & Photography Antiquarian & Collectable

Garden Flowers Gardening Artists Flora Illustration Joan Law-Smith The Uncommon Garden Australian Art Nature Illustration

The Uncommon Garden by Joan Law Smith is a 1983 first-edition Australian picture book that pairs naturalist writing with the author’s own luminous illustrations of garden flowers. Aimed at young adults and grown-up plant lovers, this 128-page hardcover celebrates flora as living art rather than mere decoration.

Every spread showcases Law Smith’s meticulous paintings and drawings, making the volume as much a gallery of botanical art as a gardening guide. The Women’s Committee of the National Trust Australia published this debut print run, so collectors of Antipodean naturalist works prize copies in original dust jacket.

This vintage copy retains its illustrated jacket; pages are crisp and bright with only a faint scuff at one join. The jacket shows sun-fading and light edge wear, while the front green paper carries minor white rubs—acceptable flaws that keep the price friendly without spoiling display appeal. A tidy copy for enthusiasts of nature illustration, Australiana, or eco-conscious art.

Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.

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