Tucked away beside the River Thames, Chelsea Physic Garden is a magical living library that houses around 5,000 different medicinal, herbal, edible and useful plants. Medicinal plants have been grown at the Garden since the 17th century, a tradition continued in the present day with displays of medicinal and herbal species used globally in the past, present and potentially in the future. The Garden is also part of the long tradition of published herbals - for example A Curious Herbal was written and illustrated by Elizabeth Blackwell using plant specimens from the Garden and was published in weekly parts between 1737-39.