This volume serves as a comprehensive botanical reference work documenting the diverse tree and shrub species native to New Zealand through precise scientific illustration. Audrey Lily Eagle, a dedicated botanical artist, utilizes her extensive field observations and meticulous painting technique to catalog the flora of the region. The work provides a systematic visual and descriptive framework intended to assist both amateur naturalists and professional botanists in the identification of indigenous plant life.

The work is regarded as a foundational reference for New Zealand botany, noted for the high degree of accuracy and aesthetic clarity in the author's illustrations. It remains a standard resource for those seeking to identify native species within their natural environments.