CHAPTER II 



Apothecaries take lease of Garden in Chelsea, a river-side village, 

 bounded on east by the Westbourne. King's Private Road not 

 finished. Excellent site for Physic Garden. State barges. 

 Origin of name " Paradise Row." Sir Thomas More's 

 " Paradise " included Chelsea Park. Apothecaries' Garden a 

 " Paradise." 



THE engaging study of botany not so scientific 

 at that time as it is to-day, but every bit as 

 enjoyable depended for information on three 

 sources herbals (Gerard's and others), col- 

 lections of plants (pressed, dried, fastened to 

 sheets of paper and labelled), and, best of all, 

 excursions into the country with recognised 

 teachers in search of growing plants there was 

 more to be learnt from living things than from 

 dead ones. 



But some plants and trees were not to be 

 seen on any excursion. So the Apothecaries, 

 in spite of the debt on the new Hall, and some 

 still unpaid debt on the old one destroyed by 

 the fire, set to work to find a garden where they 

 could cultivate rare plants, and sow seeds now 

 coming in from foreign lands. 1 



A garden was found a plot of some three 



1 The Apothecaries also wanted a convenient spot for a barge. 

 That may have been one reason for taking a lease of the Garden. 

 But rather more than a year afterwards (Barrett records) "ground 

 for a barge-house was taken from Sir John Sheldon on a lease of 

 51 years." Possibly nearer Blackfriars. 



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