첼시 피직 가든

The longest established botanic garden in London, Chelsea Physic Garden dates back to 1673 and today houses over 5,000 different edible, medicinal, herbal, and useful plants. Situated on a four-acre plot by the Thames River, the garden’s microclimate allows it to grow many plants not often found outside in the UK.

Chelsea Physic Garden history

Chelsea Physic Garden was initially established in 1673 by The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries. Conducting research into plants which might cure and those that might kill, the society required a site within close proximity to the River Thames, so they could make the most of the river’s warm air currents. Allowing access to the river for expeditions, with a south facing aspect and good quality soil, the Chelsea site was ideal for the society.

The world renown of Chelsea Physic Garden developed throughout the 17th Century with the establishment of the Index Seminum, the global seed exchange system created by the garden. Initially founded following a visit from Dutch botanist Paul Hermann in 1682, the seed exchange program continues to the present day. Another key organisational feature of the garden is the Florilegium Society. Focusing on botanical illustration for both scientific and artistic purposes, the society have helped develop the practice across the UK and abroad.

Today, Chelsea Physic Garden still possesses a strong voice in British and international horticulture and botany. In more recent years, it has developed as a visitor attraction, establishing itself as one of the most cherished and visited gardens in the city, and a real paradise of escape, hidden away in Chelsea.