Mr M decided it was about time he treated me to a day out. After much debating and mostly arguing between visiting a Vintage Fair or The Chelsea Physic Gardens, Mr M won the battle due to it being a beautiful sunny day and the Gardens had a 'cafe' in his words. In all fairness, the gardens were probably the best option, but I can't but think what stunning vintage pieces my wardrobe and textiles closet will miss out on.
The Chelsea Physic Gardens are located almost on the waters edge of the Thames. In the heart of a bustling capital city is a quaint botanical garden founded in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries. Here apprentices could learn how to grow as well as identify various plant species.
Astoundingly the Society of Apothecaries were never able to purchase the plot of land, however to this day, they pay a rent of £5 per annum to the heirs of Dr Hans Sloane who owned the Manor of Chelsea. That is correct, I haven't been chewing on hallucinatory leaves, just £5 rent per year for the beautiful garden. The Chelsea Physic Gardens, is however not subsidised at all and all the gardeners are mostly volunteers as well as the guides.
It is a truly remarkable place to visit on such a lovely day and from time to time it is really easy to forget your in the heart of London. Other times, such as when sirens are blasting past the garden walls, helicopters are circling overhead or a plane takes off you are reminded that London life is just on the other side of the fence.
The Garden offers several plant collections mostly herb and medicinal. To this day the garden must be used for teaching and educating purposes. The garden is divided into several areas; the Pharmaceutical Garden, boasting specimens that have helped developed remedies for cancer to drugs to control heart rate as well as plants used for anaesthetics.
The garden of World medicine demonstrates the uses of plants by various people such as tribes or our very own folk traditions. These plants are not necessarily proven to work. The Perfumery and Aromatherapy garden includes various species used to make oils for perfumes and aromatherapy. You'll find a variety of aromatherapy oils on sale in the shop made on site. The vegetable plot is as to be expected. There are a variety of spices also growing here.
The garden also includes a couple of ponds which attract toads, frogs and newts as well as bugs. There are three beehives, and thankfully not that many bees flying around, to my great relief. A very small rockery includes rocks from the tower of London and basalt brought in from one of the expeditions. A very small amount of woodland includes three highly interesting trees named the Ginkgo Biloba tree. It's leaves are remarkable, very smooth and almost heart shaped, they fan out. It has no close living relatives and dates back to the dinosaur era. Some trees are known to be well over two thousand years old.
The Apothecaries and the apprentices would often travel to places far and wide across the globe collecting plant species to study. One reason of being by the Thames River was so they could have a place to dock their expeditions boat. The micro-climate the garden offers enables the society, to this day to cultivate tender species of plant. The garden walls offers protection from most elements and the river source keeps the ground fertile.
A beautiful olive tree gives shade in one corner of the garden, and it is the largest olive tree growing outdoors in Britain. Olive trees are usually cropped so that it is easier to collect the fruit in olive groves. This area of the garden has a variety of fruits from wild small strawberries to the largest raspberries we had ever seen.
Unfortunately it is against garden rules to eat anything or place anything in ones mouth. There are a multitude of poisonous species including attractive berries. Amongst these poisonous species we witnessed deadly night shade and many species from the digitalis family. Not a fantastic place to take children who are at the age of eating everything in sight.
But in true Chelsea style, the cafe is amazing. The queue is long but the food was really worth it. Mr M stuffed himself with fresh asparagus, parmesan, prosciutto ham and an amazing soft boiled egg perfectly done on a rusty piece of bread. The flavours were amazing and salivating, the produce was of the highest class and the prices were appetising! I myself chose fig tartlet made with frangipan and sprinkled with chopped almonds and crème fraiche. The pastry was the best I've had in the UK and the tartlet was gorgeous. Yum.
All in all it is a lovely day out that I recommend. The free guided talks are very insightful with lovely facts about the area, the plants and some of the eccentric characters that have passed through the garden gates. There is plenty of open space for children to run around in and for sun worshippers to bask in. The garden offers several tropical green houses with exotic species, there is also a fern house which is humid and moist. Rows of beds also line the grounds and makes walking up and down these highly interesting with different areas to discover from worldly plants to poisonous areas to just plain and pretty specimens.
I am still wondering what textiles I would have found at the vintage fair...until next time.
Marie V
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