Initially, taxonomy or the classification of plants was haphazard and inconsistent. In the 17th century there gradually developed a new system, based on the physical similarities between the reproductive features of plants. Thus illustration, which in the herbal tradition had been simply a means of distinguishing one plant from another, now took on the role of analytic tool. It was used to record the detailed physical character of the plant and show the similarity of characteristics.

Elizabeth Twining was a member of the Twining tea dynasty. Her upper-class education and background enabled her to pursue personal interests in art and botany. She wrote various books on flowering plants, including 'Illustrations of the Natural Orders of Plants'. Although intended as a new approach to the already established classification systems, its illustrations resemble those in popular horticultural publications.