Firsts London returns to the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, London, with a blooming theme that celebrates the beauty of nature in print. Running from 15 to 18 May 2025, the UK’s most prestigious rare book fair gathers over 100 leading international dealers, with this year’s focus, Books in Bloom, perfectly timed alongside the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and enriched by a special collaboration with the Chelsea Physic Garden.

This year, botanical and horticultural treasures take the spotlight, offering a journey through centuries of exploration, illustration, and plant knowledge. From early florilegia to 18th-century urban flora and contemporary artistic interpretations, the fair highlights how plants have long inspired science and art.

Among the most celebrated works on view is a first edition of Basilius Besler’s Hortus Eystettensis (1613), presented by Shapero Rare Books. This monumental florilegium documents the extraordinary botanical collection of the Prince Bishop of Eichstätt and remains one of the most iconic publications in botanical history.

Peter Harrington presents a second edition of Mark Catesby’s The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands, with beautifully hand-coloured plates. This foundational work offers a vivid record of North American flora and fauna and reflects the growing European fascination with the biodiversity of the New World.

Janette Ray Bookseller brings a delightful early 20th-century natural history diary created by Amy E. Morrisey, a 16-year-old schoolgirl. With 34 delicate watercolours and handwritten notes, it offers a charming, personal perspective on botanical observation.

Sotheran’s showcases William Curtis’s Flora Londinensis, a detailed 18th-century record of wild plants growing in and around London. Designed as a practical guide, it blends scientific taxonomy with useful information on medicinal and everyday plant uses.

Visitors can discover Philip Miller’s Figures of the Most Beautiful, Useful, and Uncommon Plants from Robert Frew Rare Books. This richly illustrated book reflects his pioneering work as curator of the Chelsea Physic Garden.

A highlight from the Italian tradition is Carlo Allioni’s Flora Pedemontana, offered by Quaritch. This early regional flora, annotated by his student Giovanni Battista Balbis, reflects the rigorous botanical study flourishing in 18th-century Turin and its links to broader European networks of knowledge.

Contemporary botanical charm is also represented, such as in The Enchanted Plants (1822), presented by Sky Duthie Rare Books, a work combining natural history, imagination, and exquisite illustration.

The fair also features a dedicated program of talks, including one by the Chelsea Physic Garden team titled “Old Books, New Knowledge”, bridging past and present approaches to plant science and conservation. Visitors to Firsts London will also receive discounted access to the historic Chelsea Physic Garden during the fair, creating a rare and enriching experience that links literary heritage with living collections.

With its blend of artistry, history, and horticultural passion, Firsts London 2025 is a vibrant celebration of nature as it has flourished on the page—and continues to inspire today.