Chelsea Physic Garden

The Garden was originally established by Worshipful Society of Apothecaries in 1673, as an outdoor classroom to train their apprentices. Apothecaries were an important part of society, offering general medical advice and treatments often made from herbs. At the Garden apothecaries were trained to identify different plants, and to understand their uses. Until the 1970’s students training to be pharmacists, the modern-day apothecary, studied the uses of plants at the Garden.

Chelsea Physic Garden has been a teaching garden for over 350 years. The core principles of discovery, learning and wellbeing are still realised today. Within the Garden visitors can find over 4500 species of edible, useful and medicinal plants that help to tell the story of humanity’s relationship with plants.