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Horticultural

The RHS Plant Finder exists to put enthusiastic gardeners in touch with suppliers of plants (over 65,000), many of them unusual www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantfinder.asp

http://girlaboutgarden.co.uk/
This is the personal blog of a gardener (a former CPG gardener, Sui Kee Searle), garden writer and newbie freelancer living in the burbs of London. Featuring recipes, plant information and garden reviews.

Dirty Fingernails - a blog by one of our horticultural trainees, Nell Jones.
This blog is about her traineeship at Chelsea Physic Garden; from double-digging to plant idents and everything in-between. Nell will be sharing her experience as a greenhorn in the world of horticulture and hopefully emerging at the end of the year as someone who is on their way to being a horticulturalist (hopefully)! http://community.hortweek.com/blogs/nelljones/default.aspx

www.plantlives.com is the home of Plant Biographies, an encyclopedia of plants and their interrelationship with man and the planet, their usage, practices, history, influence and unusual properties - from Xerxes to the present day.

The Soil Association – the charity at the heart of the organic food and farming movement
www.soilassociation.org or +44(0)117 929 0661

Garden Organic (Formerly The Henry Doubleday Research Association) – dedicated to researching and promoting organic gardening, farming and food
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/ or +44(0)247 630 3517

The Royal Horticultural Society
www.rhs.org.uk/index.asp

Plants For A Future - a resource centre for rare and unusual plants, particularly those which have edible, medicinal or other uses. We practise vegan-organic permaculture with emphasis on creating an ecologically sustainable environment based largely on perennial plants.
www.pfaf.org

For information on UK gardening laws concerning you and your neighbours, see
http://www.letsgogardening.co.uk/Information/gardeninglaws.htm
Let's Go Gardening - has much information on this popular passtime and related subjects
www.letsgogardening.co.uk

The Institute of Horticulture - the authoritative organisation representing all those professionally engaged in Horticulture in the UK & Ireland www.horticulture.org.uk/

Suffolk Herbs - the most comprehensive stockist of organic seed varities in Europe www.suffolkherbs.com/

Poyntzfield Herb Nursery - specialising in the cultivation of herb plants and seeds using organic and biodynamic principles.www.poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk/

The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association
The MPGA is a long established Charity which over the years has played a vital role in the preservation and improvement of countless gardens, neglected sites and green open spaces across London. www.mpga.org.uk

Conservation/ecology

Plantlife International - a charity dedicated exclusively to conserving all forms of plant life in the UK, Europe and across the world, in their natural habitats. Plantlife International are currently encouraging people to participate in their nationwide poppy survey: www.plantlife.org.uk/poppy where you can help to record where Britain's poppies grow,
or their main site can be found at: www.plantlife.org.uk

Botanic Gardens Conservation International -building and maintaining a world network of Botanic Gardens for plant conservation www.bgci.org.uk and for ways in which you can become involved in plant conservation BGCI's additional site www.plantsforlife.net

The Ecological Database of the British Isles has been constructed from a wide variety of sources by Dr Helen Peat and Professor Alastair Fitter at the University of York, with financial support from the British Ecological Society and the Natural Environment Research Council. It consists of data on over 1770 species of higher plants that occur in the British Isles, together with the bibliography of sources. This version has been realised by Dr Henry Ford. www.york.ac.uk/res/ecoflora/cfm/ecofl/index.cfm

Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT) is a UK registered charity set up to raise funds for, and awareness of, the conservation needs of the Galapagos Islands. www.gct.org/

Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is a National charity dedicated to protecting and enhancing rural England. To find out more about their campaigns and membership visit the website: www.cpre.org.uk

CPRE encourages the sustainable use of land and other natural resources in town and country.
CPRE Houses and Gardens scheme gives members discounted entry to over 200
houses and gardens across England.
Chelsea Physic Garden is offering CPRE members 2 tickets for the price of 1.

Design for Biodiversity is an initiative established to provide guidance for developers, architects, landscape designers and planners and other interested parties on how ecologically sensitive designs and features can be integrated into new and existing developments.
http://www.d4b.org.uk/

Hedgelink is the first place to look for information on the UK's native hedges, hedgerow conservation and hedge management. http://www.hedgelink.org.uk/

Medicinal

The Herb Society - The UK's leading society for increasing the understanding, use and appreciation of herbs and their benefits to health www.herbsociety.co.uk/

The National Institute of Medical Herbalists - the UK's leading professional association of practitioners of herbal medicine www.nimh.org.uk

Botanical.com - A modern herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve where you can search for and learn about over 800 medicinal plant species www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/mgmh.html

Neal's Yard Remedies - courses on various aspects of natural medicine and medicinal plants
www.nealsyardremedies.co.uk/info_pages/courses/main_frame.html

To collect and preserve a fast disappearing aspect of our British heritage - its medicinal plant traditions. Ethnomedica is dedicated to preserving this knowledge and making it freely accessible to everyone. Read more about this valuable project here, or click on the following link to go directly to the Ethnomedica site. www.kew.org/ethnomedica/

This online Encyclopedia of Indian Medicinal Plants lists the information available with Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions on each medicinal plant species such as number of vernacular names, distribution data, trade, propagation, agro-technique, seed storage, eco-distribution maps, pharmacology and pharmacognosy, and digital images. The website provides details of around 7361 medicinal plant species and has 6734 plant images. http://www.medicinalplants.in/

Cultural botany

Plant Cultures is a project to develop an website linked to community-outreach programmes and botanic garden and museum trails. It will give families, Asian communities and lifelong learners a unique insight into the cultural and economic importance of a wide range of plants from South Asia (India, Pakistan & Bangladesh). www.plantcultures.org.uk

The National Non-Food Crops Centre's (NNFCC) purpose is to provide a single, independent and authoritative source of information on the use and implementation of non-food crop products and technologies in the United Kingdom. http://www.nnfcc.co.uk

Plant-lore Archive has grown from the Folklore Society’s ‘Survey of Unlucky Flowers’ which was conducted in the early 1980s. It now holds over 11,000 items of information from approximately 1,100 contributors, and a large number of press-cuttings, off-prints, photographs and other material.
The Archive covers all aspects of the folklore and traditional uses of plants, and although previously published material are of interest, the emphasis is on contemporary (i.e. current and remembered) beliefs and practices.
http://www.plant-lore.com/

Historical

Garden Museum (Formerly the Museum of Garden History)
Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB
TEL: +44(0)20 7401 8865 FAX: +44(0)20 7401 8869
http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/
email: info@gardenmuseum.org.uk

The Old Operating Theatre, Museum and Herb Garret - Britain's only surviving pre-anaesthetic operating theatre; situated in the roofspace of a church alongside a herb garret where medicinal herbs were stored for use at the nearby St. Thomas's Hospital
www.thegarret.org.uk/index.htm or +44(0)20 7955 4791

The Garden History Society, whose aims are:

To promote the study of the history of gardening, landscape gardening and horticulture
To promote the protection and conservation of historic parks, gardens and designed landscapes, and to advise on their restoration

To encourage the creation of new parks, gardens and designed landscapes
www.gardenhistorysociety.org/

Captain Cook Memorial Museum

The Museum, located in a 17th century house on Whitby’s harbour where James Cook lodged as apprentice. It has been set up to commemorate the life and expeditions of the great seaman as it was here Captain Cook trained, leading to his epic voyages of discovery. Plant species that were brought back during these travels were of great importance to Chelsea Physic Garden thanks to Cook's co-traveller, Sir Joseph Banks.

Joseph Banks, a key figure in Chelsea Physic Garden's history, sailed with Cook aboard Endeavour. He encouraged economic uses of plants and was an avid plant collector, bringing back many of his discoveries to the Garden.
www.cookmuseumwhitby.co.uk

Natural History

The Linnean Society of London uniquely embraces the entire sweep of biology, and particularly biological diversity and evolution. As it moves into its third century, the Linnean Society continues to play a central role as the urgency and magnitude of the task of documenting the world’s flora and fauna is recognised. www.linnean.org/

London's Natural History Museum is the UK's national museum of nature, and a centre of scientific excellence in taxonomy and biodiversity. www.nhm.ac.uk/
Their successful Wildlife Garden has its own pages too www.nhm.ac.uk/museum/garden/

The Postcode Plants Database generates lists of native plants and wildlife for any specified postal district in the UK. www.nhm.ac.uk/science/projects/fff/SearchPC.htm

London Wildlife Trust is one of 47 Wildlife Trusts (www.wildlifetrusts.org/) which form a nationwide network of local nature conservation charities. Together we take action to protect the UK's natural world in town and country. www.wildlondon.org.uk

The British Lichen Society promotes and advances all branches of the study of lichens especially in relation to those of the British Isles. To encourage and actively support the conservation of the lichen flora.www.thebls.org.uk/

Buglife -The Invertebrate Conservation Trust is the first organisation in Europe devoted to the conservation of all invertebrates. They are actively engaged in saving Britain's rarest bugs, slugs, snails, bees, wasps, ants, spiders, beetles and many more fascinating invertebrates.
www.buglife.org.uk/

Educational

Plant Scientists Investigate: this site contains ideas and resources to nurture budding plant scientists, artists and conservationists http://www.plantscafe.net/index.htm

The Botanic Gardens Education Network (BGEN) promotes and advances the delivery of education in member organisations.
Most members are educators in botanic gardens and other centres of environmental education within Britain and Ireland.
www.bgen.org.uk

The English Gardening School based close to Chelsea Physic Garden offers courses for all gardeners, from the green-fingered beginner to the professional garden designer.
www.EnglishGardeningSchool.co.uk

Science and Plants for Schools (www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk) whose aims are to:

develop new educational resources
promote exciting teaching of plant science and molecular biology
interest young people in plants and molecular biology

The Council for Environmental Education (CEE) is a national membership body for organisations and individuals in England committed to environmental education and education for sustainable development www.cee.org.uk

London Environmental Education Forum (LEEF) was conceived in 1989 as a network organisation to promote and facilitate the delivery of environmental education in London
www.leef.org.uk

The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) whose overall mission is to contribute to improving education and training nationally and internationally by undertaking research, development and dissemination activities and by providing information services www.nfer.ac.uk/research/env.asp

The Field Studies Council - a pioneering educational charity committed to bringing environmental understanding to all www.field-studies-council.org
for a review of research on outdoor learning by NFER see www.field-studies-council.org/news/index.asp?category=CO&newsid=133

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is committed to building a world-class education and training framework that meets the changing needs of individuals, business and society
www.qca.org.uk

Farming And Countryside Education – bringing the countryside into the heart of the classroom
www.face-online.org.uk or +44(0)247 685 8261

Clio's Company - a site specific educational theatre company with whom we worked on the Sloane's Waistcoat Project www.clioscompany.org.uk/

Xanthe Gresham - Storyteller extraordinaire www.xanthegresham.co.uk/ with whom we have worked for almost 20 years.

NIACE (The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education - England and Wales) is a non-governmental organisation working for more and different adult learners. Their adult learning calendar 2004/5 can be found here www.niace.org.uk/ALW/AL_calendar.htm

Gardens for Learning.com is run by Dawn Sanders an experienced botanical educator and researcher based in London, UK.

Digital Botanical Illustration by Niki Simpson
http://www.nikisimpson.co.uk

The Institute for Outdoor Learning encourages outdoor learning by developing quality, safety and opportunity to experience outdoor activity provision and by supporting and enhancing the good practice of those who work in the outdoors.
http://www.outdoor-learning.org/

Travel

For London Transport information, phone +44(0)20 7222 1234 or visit
http://tube.tfl.gov.uk/content/faq/tourism/introduction.asp

For the official website of London try www.visitlondon.com

Great British Gardens - beautiful gardens to visit in Great Britain and places to stay nearby
www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk

If you are driving to the Garden, try the Automobile Association Journey planner
www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp

Chelsea Physic Garden is not currently within the Congestion Charging Zone. For information about this charge (which may affect your journey) please visit www.cclondon.com/ which also has links to other aspects of travelling around the Capital.

For London's cycle route maps, the London Cycling Campaign can arrange for maps to be sent to you. The map part of their site is at: www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=37

National Rail Enquiries can be contacted by telephone on 08457 48 49 50 or via
www.nationalrail.co.uk/

National Express Coaches can be contacted by telephone on 08705 80 80 80 or via
www.nationalexpress.com/neh.cf

For a dissertation (PDF format) by Manuel Boss on Chelsea Physic Garden and RBG, Kew, please click here. You will require Adobe® Reader® to view this file. If you do not already have it, it can be downloaded for free from their site (click on their logo below):

Active Reservations have compiled a large number of local accommodations close to Chelsea Physic Garden www.activereservations.com/hotel/en/hotels-near-attractions/637.html

This is your kingdom - An Encyclopedia of Local Knowledge at Your Fingertips
http://www.thisisyourkingdom.co.uk/

Kids Fun London provides listings of affordable, fun and educational things to do for children. As well as listing the obvious tourists attractions we will also list any activity/facility that we feel maybe of use to you when looking for fun days out.
http://www.kidsfunlondon.co.uk/

Weather

For general information about U.K. weather, try the http://www.met-office.gov.uk/.

For a history of temperature recording, including the origin of the Stevenson Screen, see www.capgo.com/Resources/InterestStories/TempHistory/TempHistory.html

A glossary of meterological terms can be found at: www.nw-weathernet.com/wx_terms.htm

Dundee Satellite Receiving Station, Dundee University, UK, maintains an up-to-date archive of images from NOAA, SeaStar, Terra and Aqua polar orbiting satellites. Many unusul images are available here and registration is free:
www.sat.Dundee.ac.uk/