The skill of works such as this lies in their combination of profuse variety and minute details. Here, fine grasses, moss, feathers, eggshell, droplets of water, ants, a ladybird and other insects, the many varieties of flower - iris, convolvulus minor, flax, London pride, veronica, larkspur, poppies, orange blossom, French marigolds, auriculas, tulips, salvias, forget-me-nots and roses - and the marble ledge, are all means of displaying the artist's skill. Van Huysum's paintings often bear a double date, indicating that he delayed completion until the flowers he wished to paint came into season.
