Local Wildlife Site

Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation

Chelsea Physic Garden

Borough: Kensington and Chelsea

Grade: Borough Grade I

Access: Public access (entry fee)

Area: 1.23 ha

Description

This wonderful botanical garden was founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries as the ‘Apothecaries’ Garden’, to train apprentices to identify medicinal plants. It has a large number of flowerbeds and shrubberies, some to represent plant families while others are grouped by their area of origin, or to illustrate aspects of herbal medicine or plant conservation. Over 5,000 species of plants are on display at any one time. Research is carried out in laboratories within the grounds by the Natural History Museum. Staff from the botanic garden research the history of plant introductions to Britain and propagate rare native species for reintroduction projects. Apart from an annual application of herbicide to the paths, the garden is managed without pesticides; predatory insects are used for pest control.The garden is open to the public from April to October (for an entry fee), in the afternoon on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Wildlife

A variety of ornamental trees have been planted throughout the garden, notably a large pride-of-India and the largest fruiting olive in existence out-of-doors in Britain. Two ponds have been planted with native species, including galingale, lesser reedmace, reed sweet-grass, water horsetail, meadowsweet, bogbean, common club-rush and purple loosestrife. The nationally rare spreading hedge-parsley is well naturalised, having been originally planted in the garden. The garden's lichen flora is especially notable.A good variety of animals can be found here. There are large breeding populations of common toads, common frogs and smooth newts in the larger pond, and palmate newts were introduced in 1992. The variety of breeding birds includes long-tailed tit, which is uncommon in inner London; nest boxes have been erected to encourage breeding birds.

Facilities

Information (the garden has two education staff and receives visiting school groups, as well as offering teacher training and organising family activity days); historical features; toilet; refreshments; sculptures/ monuments.

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View of Chelsea Physic Garden © London Wildlife Trust

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