One of my favourite places in London, the Chelsea Physic Garden, is tucked away alongside the Thames river and is a celebration of the beauty and the importance of plants.

It was a glorious 30°C degrees when we visited the garden. After a long stroll we had a superb lunch sitting outside overlooking the garden. I am definitely going to join as a Friend of the Garden.

History of the Chelsea Physic Garden

This walled Garden was founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries for its apprentices to study the medicinal qualities of plants. The word "Physic" refers to the science of healing.

The Chelsea Physic Garden is the second oldest botanical garden in Britain, after the University of Oxford Botanic Garden which was founded in 1621. It became one of the most important centres of botany and plant exchange in the world.

Today, as an independent charity, it relies on visitors, friends and supporters to help protect and nurture the garden for future generations.

Treasures you'll find

The garden contains a unique living collection of around 5,000 different edible, useful, medicinal and historical plants. It really is a ‘hidden gem’: 3.8 acres of prime real estate in Chelsea.

In this peaceful green oasis you can enjoy a relaxing stroll and lunch or afternoon tea at the Tangerine Dream Café.

The garden’s warm microclimate means that many tender plants flourish here including a number of rare and endangered species. It has the largest outdoor fruiting olive tree in Britain and the world’s most northerly outdoor grapefruit tree.

From pomegranates to gingkos, mulberries to eucalyptus, there are over 100 different types of tree in the garden, many of which are rare in Britain. The glasshouses hold a collection of tropical and sub-tropical species, complemented by a Victorian Cool Fernery.