Daphné Kessisoglou

Daphné is an architect specialised in the conservation of historic buildings. She has studied in Athens (National Technical University of Athens), Edinburgh (ECA, University of Edinburgh) and London (Bartlett, UCL) and has worked with numerous listed buildings and structures both in the UK and in Greece.

While she has always loved observing and caring for plants, she only came across the field of botanical drawing some years ago, while living in London, in the form of evening classes. She then applied for a place at the Certificate of Botanical Illustration at the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh, which she was awarded with distinction. She is currently a student at the subsequent Diploma course.

Much like the historic buildings she focuses on, Daphné sees in each plant a story that remains to be told; a story that requires her to listen carefully and understand, then interpret and share in a way that does it justice. 

Title of the Project:

Five Plants with Underground Storage Organs

About the Project:

I have always admired the patience and perseverance of geophytes. They wait until the time is right for them to grow and bloom, year after year, and the development from an often-tiny bulbous structure to a whole plant is as mesmerising as the fully-grown plant itself.

This project focuses on five plants with strikingly colourful inflorescence, as if celebrating the arrival of spring.

Illustrations: