Has anyone been to Chelsea Physic Garden, London?

[IlanaK]

I discovered this through the Springwatch site as they have a live webcam on the tadpoles. I live in london, though not Chelsea, and was wondering whether it was worth the trip (and the money).

Has anyone been?

Oh yes, Chelsea Physick Garden is lovely! Can also be neatly combined with a visit to the National Army Museum, for boys of that kind of persuasion.

They do good educational sessions, too -- ds went with his Y1 class, all were moaning beforehand but v. enthusiastic afterwards!

Yes, a couple of times years ago pre-kids. It is an interesting garden, with many good specimans, but I wouldn't think that it would be a particularly great place to bring my 3 & 5 yr olds, mainly because it is quite a small contained place, with narrow-ish paths, not any running space. That said, it might have changed, and if the children were older it might be more worthwhile. Also, you could always go there and then have a picnic in the grounds of the Royal Hospital which is nearby and has Ranleagh Gardens and lots of big old trees and grass and space to roll/run/lie down/ etc. Silliness is allowed, though you might get a marvellously bedecked Chelsea War Pensioner casting you stern looks (or not!).

Thanks for that. I am tempted, but it would be two bus rides or two tube rides and a long walk. I have a 2 year old and a 5 year old. They are home schooled and we have been studying wildlife, insects etc so I thought it would be a good place to go.

Whereabouts are you, Ilana? A good alternative for wildlife hunts is Camley Street nature park, just behind Kings Cross station. Or for the herbs and plants the Herb Garden at the Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch. Or Kew, come to that. Or the Botanical Gardens in Oxford, if you ever find yourself there.

Check that the National Army Museum is open to the general public before you go. It's often used as a venue for birthday parties.....

I have been to the Camley Street Park - it is excellent. However, I spoke to the staff there and they said no frogs mated in the pond dipping area as they get disturbed. He said it is actually quite rare to see frogs there. But otherwise, it is a fabulous local park.