Chelsea Physic Garden — Attraction in London

I was hoping to visit the snowdrop trail as I visit every year, however this year it closed a little earlier in the year as the garden opened the dash of lavender trail. The garden always has some useful facts about history and social views of the times which I enjoy. The garden has been updated with some information around how virus's are tracked and treated, as well as the usual information on plants used in anaesthesia and medicine. You will find locals as well as visitors here, giving a nice mix of what London is.

When you visit the green house, ensure you go through the doors to the tropical plants area as people sometimes miss this thinking that they can't enter. I'd say if there is a door without something placed in front of it that is unlocked, you are permitted to enter. If staff are cleaning areas, they will occlude entry with a large plant or lock doors.

I tend to spend around 60-90 minutes around the garden, a little longer in Spring & Summer as there is more to see in the garden plants wise, however the flip side is that you get to enjoy the cafe a little more in Winter and see some of the wildlife hiding in the bushes and tress as it is less busy. Weekdays before lunchtime seem to always be a little less busy whatever the time of year, it's nice to sit with a hot coffee and enjoy some quiet time.

The staff are friendly and will share some insights about plants if you ask them. The cafe has a small menu, but the food is always tasty and caters to hot, cold and allergy status. In Summer I remember they had fantastic salads, in Winter they do soups, hotpot and shepherds pie - real British comfort food (not sure why there is rice with the hotpot, but I ate it...

I think although this isn't the size of Kew or RHS Wisley it easily competes in other ways particularly if you have a special interest in the uses of plants. I am a novice gardener and this little garden has more transformed my relationship with plants because there is so much information on how the plants are used.

I easily think the garden has a range of potential audiences school children, those who appreciate beauty, first year medical students, botanists, beginner gardeners and so on. Depending on the reason for your visit you could spend half a day to a day here with so much to see and read.

The garden is absolutely worth its ticket price. It is so easy to see how much love has been poured into it and it is so manicured. It has lots of different gardens within a garden with lots of little areas that feel closed off so you can hide and rest for a while. I didn't leave feeling I hadn't got my moneys worth.

Some have said the cafe is over priced, I disagree. The cafe is again beautifully presented and the food quality was very good. Yes it is expensive but this isn't unusual for London or a cafe within an attraction. What is unusual is a cafe having good food, this isn't always guaranteed.

I haven't awarded five stars because on more than one occasion staff seemed unfriendly and there was a bit of a pretentious vibe. I suggest if you want to make everyone welcome remember to smile.

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Enjoyed a lovely afternoon here today along with a light lunch in the Cafe. Our meal was beautifully presented and tasted great, with various options featuring a lot of vegetables and plant based options. If you are looking for a light lunch, the August 2024 menu offers a section titled 'plates' which you can combine with meat or fish. In terms of portion size, for a fuller meal, you should probably order a couple of plates or one of the salad options and a plate as a side dish. We also shared cakes from the wide range of cakes which were really nice as well. The garden is aimed at and serves a well heeled clientele but given the location in Chelsea, it's actually very affordable. Our meal came to just under £60.00 for two people including service charge, which I thought was very good value. The waiting staff in the Cafe were very friendly and went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. The garden itself is tended to by a small army of volunteers and has a lot to look at and learn about - perfect for inquisitive minds young and old, with sections on the various uses of different plants from around the world. A well...