INTRODUCTION 



THE term " Physic Garden " the official name 

 for the Apothecaries' Garden is a little mis- 

 leading. 



Although for a few years a small part of the 

 Garden supplied herbs to be used in the 

 laboratory at Blackfriars and although the 

 chief reason for the study of plants at that time 

 was to discover their medicinal qualities it 

 will be seen that the Garden was founded, not 

 for the production of drugs, but for the 

 advancement of botany. 



The word " physic " had then a wider 

 meaning than it has now. It could be used in 

 its original sense of pertaining to physical 

 (i.e. natural) science. A " Physic garden " was 

 a scientific garden, and like physical strength 

 and physical courage, not necessarily connected 

 with drugs. 



In the i yth century the two old botanic 

 gardens of England those of Oxford and 

 Chelsea were both styled " Physic " Gardens. 

 Evelyn tells us that he went to " the Physic 

 Garden " (at Oxford) " where the sensitive 

 plant was shewed us for a great wonder. . . . 

 There grew canes, olive trees, rhubarb, . . . 

 besides very good fruit, which when the ladies 

 had tasted, we returned to our lodgings." 

 It was not a drug-producing garden. 



The same may be said of the Garden of the 

 Princess Dowager of Wales at Kew, which 



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