How Not to Catch the Plague
Location:
Chelsea Physic Garden (The Gallery)
Date & time:
Saturday 27 Sep 2025, 11.00am - 1.00pm
Price:
£20.00
Join us for a historical workshop exploring how herbs were used in the past to prevent plague symptoms and treat other ailments.
About the event
Travel back in time and discover the curious remedies people once believed could keep the plague at bay!
In this fun, hands-on workshop at Chelsea Physic Garden, you’ll explore the herbs once thought to protect against illness from lavender to wormwood, and hear the surprising stories behind them.
Then roll up your sleeves to make your own fragrant tussie mussie (a little herbal bouquet) to take home.
Perfect for families, this is a chance to get creative, learn some quirky history, and enjoy the scents and secrets of the Garden together.
Accessibility
Access to the gallery is via a narrow 22-step staircase and unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.
FAQs
Is the Chelsea Physic Garden accessible?Most of the Garden is fully accessible, with the exception of the first floor Gallery at Chelsea Physic Garden which is used only for special events and is only accessible via a narrow 22 step staircase with a handrail.
If you are attending an event and need help please get in touch at enquiries@chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk or call 0207 352 5646.
Bikes (including folding bikes) and scooters are not permitted. There are bike racks located along Royal Hospital Road. These can be used to secure any bikes and scooters.
Please do not secure any bikes or scooters to the railings outside the Royal Hospital Chelsea or Burton Court. Any items secure to these railings will be removed.
Please adhere to the age range specified for events on the listings page and if appropriate please book a ticket for your child. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult approved by the parent/guardian. This person can accompany a maximum of four children per event. Where permitted, any child over the age of two needs their own seat for events.
The event organiser cannot be responsible for unsupervised children.
What’s on
Check out more events at this venue
Lore & Alchemy: Perfume Making Workshop
- 15 March 2026, 11.00am
- Chelsea Physic Garden
- £50.00
Step into a world where stories grow on trees and every plant holds a secret. In this hands-on Folklore Perfume Blending workshop, you’ll explore the myths, legends and ancestral beliefs woven through the aromatic plants we still love today.
More info
The Herbs of Hamnet
- 21 March 2026, 2.00pm
- Chelsea Physic Garden
- £25.00
Step inside the walls of this ancient physic garden, established in 1673 for apothecaries to study the healing properties of plants and take part in a unique and fascinating talk and demonstration.
More info