There is a little green oasis tucked away beside the River Thames in the heart of Chelsea, London, where plants have been growing since 1673 and you can find the largest outdoor fruiting olive tree in Britain and the world’s most northerly outdoor grapefruit tree.
Despite sitting in the middle of the vibrant neighborbood's contemporary hustle and bustle, this remarkable piece of the city's history has managed to preserve its original charm, dating back to when the Apothecaries first established it to grow useful and medicinal plants that have changed the world.
The Chelsea Physic Garden is London’s oldest botanic garden, and it has seen numerous, notable figures over the years, including Sir Hans Sloane (to whom nearby Sloane Square owes its name), a famous physician, naturalist, collector and the founder of the British Museum, who purchased the Manor of Chelsea from Charles Cheyne, and leased the Garden to the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London for just £5 a year in perpetuity. The garden still pays this sum to Sir Hans' descendants today.
Among other notable curators is Thomas Moore, who made the Garden the foremost collection of medicinal plants in Britain during the Victorian era.