A Gardener’s Labyrinth
Photographs of flowers, herbs and vegetables by leading photographer Tessa Traeger.
Tessa Traeger (b.1938) is an outstanding still life photographer who has exhibited in Paris, London, Hamburg and New York. She was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in London to photograph important British horticulturalists for its collection. This little-known pack issued by the NPG features some of her photographs of flowers, herbs, vegetables and garden statuary. The extra card acts as a key card, giving the names of all the plants and some of the locations (e.g., Hampton Court, Sissinghurst, Cawdor Castle, etc.). The back design is a close-up shot of some white birch bark. See the box►
Above: A Gardener’s Labyrinth playing cards with photography by Tessa Traeger,published by the National Portrait Gallery, London, 2003. Probably printed by Carta Mundi. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra card in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm. © Tessa Traeger, 2003
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
Activity for A Gardener’s Labyrinth
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Hand-drawn set of 52 playing cards
An imaginatively hand-drawn set of 52 playing cards by an amateur artist, 18th century.
Empics playing cards
Photography from the UK and around the world, past and present.
Greenpeace anti-nuclear playing cards
Greenpeace anti-nuclear pack with facts and figures, United Kingdom, 2003.
Crop Circles collectable playing cards
Crop Circles collectable playing cards with photography by Lucy Pringle, United Kingdom, 2007.
The Mrs. Forster Collection
Playing cards featuring original botanical paintings by Mrs. Sidney Eliza Forster from the 1890s.
The Deck of Cards
‘The Deck of Cards ’ by Ben Yates, United Kingdom, 2011.
Cape Wrath
Images from the Ministry of Defence Cape Wrath Training Centre, Sutherland, Scotland. Published 2010...
Zoo-Boots
Zoo-Boots published by E. S. & A. Robinson, c.1930s.
Botany Quartetts
Botany card game published by Houlston and Wright & Henry Greenwood, c.1860.
Flora
‘Flora’ card game published by C.W. Faulkner, printed by Dondorf, 1903.
Tease Me
‘Tease Me’ 1960s glamour pack.
What the Butler Saw
“What the Butler Saw” playing cards depicting tasteful photography of the female body.
Under the Sea
“Under the Sea” transformation playing cards, published in 2005 to raise money for the Marine Stewar...
Prime Arts
Prime Arts Playing Cards were published in 2004 featuring the work of contemporary artists, illustra...
Madeira Souvenir
“Ilha da Madeira” Souvenir playing cards with 54 colour views of the archipelago.
Legendary Land’s End
“Legendary Land’s End” deck by John Hinde showing photographic views of Land’s End, Cornwall (UK)
Caballos Argentinos
“Caballos Argentinos” playing cards with photographs of horses and ponies on each card.
Garden Flowers
Garden Flowers card game designed by Dora Ratman, published by Pepys, 1961.
Wild Flower Sevens
Wild Flower Sevens card game by Pepys Games (Castell Bros Ltd), c.1960.
Language of Flowers
Language of Flowers by Past Times, c.1999.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
