LONDON.- From this September through to March 2015, the Royal School of Needlework is exhibiting a display of embroideries with a garden theme, at its home at Hampton Court Palace.

Almost since the start of embroidery, capturing flowers and the natural world has been an irresistible subject for stitch. Embroidery lends itself perfectly to capturing the textures, colours, shapes and movement of nature and on show are beautiful pieces of work including traditional floral interpretations and a host of more unusual embroidery subjects from vegetables and fruit to fungi.

The exhibition features historic work from the RSN Collection together with current embroideries by RSN students and tutors - all inspired by the natural world using a wide variety of stitched techniques. Historical pieces date from the 18th century and the exhibition comes right up-to-date with pieces submitted in Summer 2014 for the RSN Degree, Certificate and Diploma courses.

Pieces in the exhibition include the silk shading technique, also known as ‘painting with a needle’, as well as canvaswork, blackwork, metal thread embroidery, crewelwork, raised embroidery and more.

Dr Susan Kay-Williams, Chief Executive of the RSN and curator of the exhibition says, ‘Embroidery is such a versatile medium that it can transform a humble vegetable into a work of art; it can reveal new elements of a flower and maximise the sense of colourful riot that is a garden in full bloom. This exhibition which takes us through the autumn and winter months will give food for thought for the gardener, the embroiderer and the lover of colour, right through to spring.’

The Royal School of Needlework was founded in 1872 and is the international centre of excellence for the art of hand embroidery. Based at Hampton Court Palace in south west London it offers a range of embroidery courses from day classes for beginners, a Certificate and Diploma course, a Future Tutors programme and a Degree programme.