A curmudgeonly traveler, Marianne North went around the world—twice! alone!—during the Victorian era, armed with a parasol and an easel, determined to paint as many of the world's plants as possible. The result, some 800 paintings of flora, many of which were unknown to European audiences, are on display at Kew Gardens, and her travel writings have been gathered in a new book, Abundant Beauty. We take a look at the life of this remarkable woman.
