Nessie Ramm
Toadflax, woundwort, goat's-beard, viper's bugloss: the names read like a 16th Century Herbal. But if you're looking for our native wildflowers you might struggle to find them in the countryside, where intensive methods can leave little habitat. Instead, turn your attention to the verges alongside Britain's road network. There you will find these plants from a lost bucolic era, now taking refuge on roundabouts, slip roads and in litter-strewn lay-bys.
Biography
Nessie Ramm is on a mission to paint the road verges of Britain in exquisite detail onto metal road signs; to render visible the wildness and value of these unloved spaces. Her work is both a joyful celebration of what she finds and also a call to re-evaluate our relationship with the natural world: can we make space for nature?
She is a fellow member of the Society of Botanical Artists and during 2025-6 is working with Plantlife UK as their Creative Friend, highlighting the value of road verges for wild plants and fungi. Nessie has exhibited in various group shows including The Discerning Eye Exhibition, Guildford House Gallery Open, The Sussex Contemporary and Wells Art Contemporary. In 2019 she was artist in residence at Wadhurst Park, a wild estate in Sussex. She lives in Wadhurst, East Sussex, where she also grows native flowers to re-wild road verges.
In June 2025, Nessie was announced as the Winner of the NEAC Climate Emergency Prize, recognising the environmental impact and originality of her work.