As the season of ghost stories envelops us, we invite you to immerse yourself in a uniquely eerie experience at Chelsea Physic Garden of creative writing with a focus on Botanical Horror, set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of London’s oldest botanical garden.

As the season of ghost stories arrives, we invite you to Chelsea Physic Garden for an afternoon of Creative Writing focused on Botanical Horror. Set in London’s oldest botanical garden, this workshop explores the chilling intersection of plants and the supernatural, a genre that emerged during the Victorian era.

In this two-hour session, you’ll uncover the history of botanical horror and its Victorian roots, enjoy a tour of our Victorian glasshouses highlighting eerie plants and folklore, and engage with readings of ghostly tales with ecological themes. You’ll also experiment with creative writing prompts designed to inspire your own spooky botanical narratives.

Join us for a captivating experience where the haunting charm of Chelsea Physic Garden meets the dark allure of botanical horror.

Tutor Bio:

Jessica McKinney

Jess McKinney is a writer from Inishowen, Donegal. Her work has appeared in The Stinging Fly, Poetry Ireland Review, The Winter Papers, Banshee Magazine, The Moth, Bath Magg, Poetry Jukebox and Abridged, along with anthologies by Poetry Ireland, New Island Press, and Cork County Council’s Library and Arts Service.

She completed her MA in Poetry at Queen’s University Belfast, where she received the Irish Chair of Poetry Student Award. This was followed by the publication of her debut pamphlet ‘Weeding’ with Hazel Press, which was nominated for the Saboteur and Patrick Kavanagh pamphlet awards.

She has been the recipient of several bursaries and awards to support the development of her work, including the Arts Council Agility Award, Irish Chair of Poetry Bursary Award, Donegal County Council Artist Bursary, and Arts Council Literature Bursary.

She is currently working towards her full collection and first novel.