The surprises I had arranged for Mr Crumpets birthday ended up getting a little off track. The original plan was, a quick stop by the Chelsea Physic Garden, then on to the Saatchi Gallery for an exhibition fix and dinner at Ottolenghi.
We never actually made it to the gallery, (of course we still kept our dinner date and it was delish!) our whole afternoon was spent bumbling around the 3.8 acres of flowerbeds like the drowsy bees who accompanied us.
‘Physic’ is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the art of healing’. The garden is sectioned into different areas and many medicinal plants are grown. I really enjoyed the Systematic Order Beds, immaculately kept and labelled with their botanical classification and origin. The Cool Fernery and succulent house were also favourites.
The newly developed Garden of Edible & Useful Plants has just opened and was very educational, I especially enjoyed seeing plants used for dyeing and in beauty products – I often read labels but have no idea what a plant looks like.
The only negative was that the on-site Tangerine Dream Café did unfortunately not live up to its name. Dirty outside tables, a measly selection of stale cakes (all with nuts) and we even had to ask for lemon to go with our Earl Grey – blasphemous!
However, if I lived nearer I would definitely become a friend of the garden so I could pop down all through the year. It runs as a self-supporting charity, so needs any help it can get (although we were told by a volunteer that the land is rented for only £5 a year!). Whether you are a keen botanist, have an interest in medicine or just really love pretty flowers like myself and Mr C, the Chelsea Physic Garden is a summer must visit.
– Miss C x
crumpetcottage 