The Chelsea Physic Garden played a pivotal role in plant collection as one of the world's most important centers for botany, plant exchange, and the introduction of medicinal and useful plants to Britain and beyond.
Key aspects of its role include:
Training and Education: The Garden was founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London to train apprentices in identifying and understanding medicinal plants. This function continued for centuries, with students of pharmacy studying the plant collections until the 1970s.
Global Plant Exchange: Beginning in 1682, the Garden established an international seed exchange program (Index Seminum) that continues today. This network was central to the global distribution and exchange of plant material, helping to introduce numerous species to Europe for the first time.
Horticultural Innovation: The Garden was a leader in horticultural techniques, such as building the first heated glasshouse in 1723 to grow tropical plants like pineapples, and the accidental discovery of forcing rhubarb.
Notable Introductions: The Garden was responsible for the introduction of many important plants to Britain, including the first tea plant and the first Cedar trees of Lebanon to grow in England.
Scientific Classification: Head Gardener Philip Miller (1722-1770) was a key figure, publishing The Gardeners' Dictionary, which was instrumental in plant classification and cultivation practices.
Economic Botany: The Garden focused on plants of economic value to the British Empire, such as rubber, cocoa, and coffee, though this history is now recognized as a complex legacy tied to colonialism and the exploitation of indigenous knowledge and enslaved labor.
Today, the Garden maintains a unique living collection of over 4,500 species focused on edible, useful, and medicinal plants, serving as a vital educational resource and a center for plant conservation.