[1] Basford was born in Grantham in 1916 and developed her interest in botany from her nanny, Winny, who taught her how to identify types of trees and wildflowers.
[2] She then studied botanical drawing at an art school in Nottingham where she met Freddie Basford, a PhD chemistry student.
Upon return to the UK, she took a position at the Department of Diagnostic Cytology at Christie Hospital, where she worked until her retirement.
[3] She is also known for her research into the cultural significance of the Green Man, a mythical figure who had a head that sprouted foliage.
In 1978, she published The Green Man, discussing how the figure was a motif for the "spiritual dimension of nature" in architecture, with an important relevance in modern society.