Chelsea Physic Garden

About this place

In 1673 the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries founded a four-acre garden beside the Thames in Chelsea, to grow plants for medicine.

Chelsea Physic Garden is one of the oldest botanic gardens in Britain, second only to Oxford's.

High brick walls around the site trap enough heat to support the largest fruiting olive tree in the country.

The garden is open to visitors most days of the week, with historic glasshouses and a café among its features.

History

The garden served as a private teaching and research resource for the Society of Apothecaries for three centuries, only becoming a registered charity and opening to the public in 1983. Its rock garden is considered the oldest in Europe devoted to alpine and Mediterranean plants. The site holds Grade I status on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.

Architecture

The garden's high brick walls, originally built to shelter tender plants, create a microclimate that lets Mediterranean species survive outdoors in central London. The historic glasshouses, which house much of the rare plant collection, have seen ongoing conservation work over the years.

Worth knowing

The garden claims the world's northernmost outdoor grapefruit tree, kept alive by the shelter of its walled microclimate. It is also a member of the London Museums of Health & Medicine, reflecting its origins as a training ground for apothecaries.

Gardens & grounds

The four acres hold over 4,500 medicinal, edible and useful plants, including the largest fruiting olive tree in Britain.

Facilities