As summer arrives and the Garden comes into full bloom, join us for Wonderful Weeds, a talk and guided stroll exploring the uses and folklore of wild plants.

Led by Roy Vickery, who worked for many years at the Natural History Museum and has long collected and written on the folklore of British and Irish plants, this talk and walk offers rich insight into the stories rooted in the everyday places.

Together, we step back to the 1920s, a time before the NHS, when wild plants were woven into daily life as sources of medicine, food and simple pleasures. Blending social history with botanical knowledge, this accessible walk invites visitors of all ages to reconsider the so called weeds growing at their feet.

Speaker Bio:

Roy Vickery

Roy Vickery, born in rural Dorset, worked as a botanist at the Natural History Museum, London, from 1965 to 2007 and remains a Scientific Associate, focusing on lichen collections. He served as Chairman and later President of the South London Botanical Institute, retiring in 2022 after 10 years in leadership. From 2011 to 2014, he was Vice-President of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland and is the botanical recorder for Tooting Common.

For over 40 years, Roy has collected and written about plant folklore, producing more than 140 publications on the subject. He also gives lectures and leads plant folklore walks

When you attend this event, you’re supporting Chelsea Physic Garden’s charitable mission to protect and celebrate plant knowledge for future generations.