Helen Allen is a graduate of the English Gardening School, taught by Anne Marie Evans. Trained as a textile designer and teacher, Helen became Course Director of the Diploma course in botanical painting and illustration before opening the Chelsea School of Botanical Art (now closed) at the Chelsea Physic Garden between 2014 and 2018; teaching and sharing her love of plants and art.

Helen has exhibited in Wales and internationally; her work is held in the Archives of Chelsea Physic Garden, Hampton Court Palace, the Archives of The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Grootbos Foundation Florilegium, as well as a number of other collections. Her work may also be found in the Highgrove Florilegium, and Transylvania Florilegium; Helen led the project on location in Transylvania and in London. Recently Helen was awarded a residency at Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Virginia, USA and invited to paint for it’s Florilegium.