Away from the crowds in Central London

I find it hard to believe that in all my many years of going to London, I have never before been to visit the Chelsea Physic Garden - it's wonderful!   Tucked away behind Royal Hospital Road and the Embankment, it's a magical garden, covering nearly four acres and, at this time of year, filled with beautiful flowers.  What's more, you can't even hear the London traffic so it makes a great place to take some time out from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The garden was founded in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries of London, and its future was secured when Dr Hans Sloane bought the Manor of Chelsea at the turn of the century, and leased the land back to the apothecaries for a rent of £5.00 a year in perpetuity!  

I really enjoyed my brief visit to this garden (rushing between appointments on a Friday afternoon in London) and would thoroughly recommend it.  If I lived in London, I would certainly become a "Friend", so that I could visit whenever I wanted.  And there were obviously lots of Friends there when I visited - they were sitting reading, drawing or sleeping, which made the garden feel like home.

Also highly recommended is the cafe - the food was simple, but delicious and notwithstanding my comments at the beginning of this blog...I would eat there again!