3i8 LONDON PARKS & GARDENS 



days botany and medicine were closely entwined. Every 

 botanical and horticultural work was occupied with the 

 virtues and properties of plants, far more than their 

 structural peculiarities, or their beauties of form or 

 growth. Gerard, Johnson, and less well-known botanists, 

 were herbalists and apothecaries, so it was only natural 

 that the Worshipful Company of Apothecaries should 

 be the founders of a garden. It was not the first of its 

 kind in London, but it ranks now as the second oldest 

 in England, as its predecessors in London, such as 

 Gerard's Garden in Holborn, and the Tradescants in 

 Lambeth, have long since passed away. It probably, 

 moreover, embodies the earlier one at Westminster, 

 which was under the care of Hugh Morgan, said by his 

 contemporaries to be a very skilful botanist. The West- 

 minster Garden seems to have been still flourishing when 

 the Apothecaries started theirs in Chelsea, but three years 

 later it was bought by them, one of the conditions of sale 

 being that the plants might be moved to Chelsea. The 

 land in Chelsea was leased from Lord Cheyne. By the 

 time the lease had expired. Sir Hans Sloane was owner of 

 the property, having purchased it from Lord Cheyne 

 in 17 12, He granted the land to the Apothecaries' 

 Company on a yearly rent of ^5, on condition that it 

 should always be maintained as a Physic Garden, and 

 certain other conditions, such as supplying a number 

 of specimens to the Royal Society. The deed of gift 

 further provided that should the Apothecaries not con- 

 tinue to fulfil their obligation, the Garden should be held 

 in trust by the Royal Society, and should they not wish 

 to take it over, by the College of Physicians. It was 

 acting in conformity with these wishes, that, when the 

 Apothecaries ceased to desire to maintain it, the Charity 



