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Thank you rogissimo. I had the answers but hadn't filled them in.
Confusing trying to work backwards. Thanks again. Now for sunday dinner!

Amaturestick
47 is a slightly obscure double definition.
20: definition is the first two words. It’s a 4 letter duck inserted in a three letter verb meaning fell, with a one letter day at the end.

Oh and 20 will help with the second part of the first unnumbered clue, but the first part doesn’t intersect with 47 or 20.

I always look forward to - and love - the bank holiday specials, a welcome change of pace from the usual fare in the prize slot. Clearly, knowledge of the theme will affect levels of enjoyment (botanical themes my personal blind spot), but it would hardly be fair to criticise a puzzle because its theme didn’t ring your bell. I particularly enjoyed this puzzle. The theme is accessible, but I would say the unnumbered answers are roughly 50-50 when it comes to well known to me vs before/after “my time”. Only one of the first type was completely unknown to me, but once the first anagram of each pair had been unraveled the other usually yielded at worst to a reasonable guess. Apart from 23a, obviously, which came up when I checked its pair (the one I’d never heard of) on Google. Oh well, I’m sure things like Google are now factored in by the setters for some of their more unfair clues/solutions. Sometimes when you click re the theme of these specials, the others fall all too easily, but here I found I got the theme quite early, but the last of the special clues held out for almost the duration of solving time. Pretty much perfect I would say

Anyway, a long way of saying I thought this was great. Only quibble is 17a. Am I right in thinking it is not really a cryptic clue at all? Or am I missing something subtler?

Nearly there. But two hints required please. Is the original word that you drop the leader from in 66a beginning with f. Because right now I can't fit the artist name for the shy ratty....anywhere. So something has to be wrong. So close but it's frustrating as hell.

Rocky, yes to the F (sort of ) involved in 66A.

...and the Shy ratty entry is fairly close by...

Thanks Malone. One of those I suddenly saw as soon as I posted. Just four numbered clues left. Been a slog but an enjoyable one.

All done. 47d LOI poor clue.

Never heard of 8d and don't know how it parses either. 17a also a bit weak. Right moaning over. All in all, long and slow but liked a new idea from Maskerade. Understand how these are not everybody's cup of tea but I like them as a rule. Can't pick a COD. Too intertwined and complex. Had to bail out on the Back Beach festival in Teignmouth as it was too cold and windy which is a shame. So a glass of rosé at home beckons. Happy Bank Holiday all.

I have exactly the same quibbles as you, Rocky7, and agree with mdmaylwin that 17 seems to be little if anything more than a straight def that wouldn’t be out of place in a quick.
I liked 8, but it depends on knowing both the collective term for goldfinches and the French for ‘elder’ as in ‘elder son’ (and it has an acute accent which doesn’t fit the solution, so maybe I like it less after all!)