A rare apple with deep roots in Hitchin history is the subject of a stunning new painting by local botanical artist Nina Mayes — and it's now on show as part of a prestigious international exhibition.

The Hitchin Pippin, a heritage apple variety first recorded in 1896, had all but disappeared by the mid-20th century. Its remarkable revival is thanks to Michael Clark, voluntary warden of Tewin Orchard, who tracked down the last known tree in a Kent garden and successfully grafted new life into the variety.

Nina Mayes — a Hitchin-based artist and RHS Gold Medal winner — has brought this unique fruit to life in watercolour, capturing its life cycle in vivid detail for Looking Back for Our Future, the official England and Wales contribution to the global Botanical Art Worldwide 2025 exhibition.

Originally from Derbyshire, Nina was influenced early on by her art teacher mother and gardening grandmother. She holds a degree in Zoology and a Master's in Wildlife Management and Conservation, and worked as an Environmental Monitoring Officer before completing her Diploma at the Chelsea School of Botanical Art. Her work has since earned her a place in the prestigious Shirley Sherwood Collection and Fellowship with the Society of Botanical Artists.

Nina said: "I've really enjoyed following the Hitchin Pippin through the seasons at Tewin Orchard. It's a lovely apple with such a local story behind it. Painting it felt like a way of celebrating not just the fruit itself, but the care and effort that went into bringing it back from the brink."

Her painting, titled Michael's Hitchin Pippin, Tewin Orchard, is now on display at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Gallery from 13–24 May, as part of Looking Back for Our Future. The exhibition features 29 botanical artists from across the UK and is organised by the Association of Botanical Artists in collaboration with the Birmingham Society of Botanical Artists, the Society of Botanical Artists, the Wales Society of Botanical Illustrators, and the Eden Project Florilegium Society.

Prints of the painting are available via her website: www.ninamayes.com in two sizes (8 x 10" and 11 x 14").

Follow Nina on Instagram and Facebook: @ninamayesbotanicalart

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