While Carl Linnaeus’s new classification of plants (Philosophia Botanica) had been published in 1751, an English translation did not appear until 1760, translated by the botanist James Lee.
The idea for a translation of the Philosophia came from a suggestion by Lady Anne Monson (1726-76), a collector of exotic plants, that a simple introduction to Linnaeus's work would be of interest to women and those without knowledge of Latin.

An Introduction to Botany immediately made Lee a famous name in botanic circles. The lack of other simple guides to the subject ensured that the book enjoyed a virtual monopoly for almost 30 years. It went through seven editions before the end of the century and became an essential text for aspiring botanists across Britain.

Lee's reputation also brought many visitors to his nursery, the Vineyard, at Hammersmith. The nursery specialised in exotic plants from Africa and the Americas. In 1789, due to his specialist knowledge in exotic species, Lee began to assist William Aiton in producing a new catalogue of the plants grown in the botanical gardens at Kew.