The website for Camden and District Gardeners

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

The Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians has been described as "the most interesting garden in London". With 1,100 plants that have been used as medicines in the past 3,000 years up to the present day (or named after physicians), it is set out to be both beautiful and educational. Open in 2023 on Monday 10th July, there will be guided tours telling the stories of plants that are used to make anti-cancer drugs and treatments for many other illnesses; of plants that cause epidemic diseases and others that relieve pain and suffering. The plants (through your guides) tell the stories of modern day medicines and their discovery; of the Doctrine of Signatures and the humoural system of medicine of the ancient Greeks; of herbal medicine, analgesics, hallucinogens and narcotics; and the uses of the plants from the College's Pharmacopoeia of 1618. It is an astonishing place - arguably the largest specialist medicinal garden in Europe.

Horticultural advice by the College's specialist gardeners may be had at the most interesting College in London. Information on all the plants in the garden may be accessed on your mobile devices via https://garden.rcplondon.ac.uk

Opposite the south-east corner of Regent’s Park and of easy access from Regent’s Park and Great Portland Street tube stations.

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

The garden is fully accessible by wheelchair users, having a stone path and a wheelchair friendly gravel path.
This garden opens for By Arrangement visits from May to 15 September. Please contact the garden owner to discuss your requirements and arrange a date for a group or bespoke visit.
  07778 526 434    garden@raffaellamorini.com

For many centuries the Dominican friars have been preachers of the Gospel and propagators of the devotion of the Holy Rosary, a prayerful meditation on aspects of the life of Jesus and Mary. 2021 marks the 800th anniversary of the Dominicans' arrival in England, and they have been ministering in north London since 1861, based at the Priory Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St Dominic, one of the largest Catholic churches in London. In 2016, Cardinal Nichols declared this unique church, which has stone-carved altars and individual chapels dedicated to each of the traditional fifteen aspects of the Rosary, to be the 'Rosary Shrine' for his diocese. As such the friars decided to build a garden dedicated to the so-called "Mysteries of Light": a further five aspects of Christ's life that had been added to the traditional set of fifteen 'mysteries' by Pope St John Paul II in 2002.

Thanks to the generosity of parishioners and benefactors, what was once an unused and barren wasteland behind the church has been transformed into a Marian sanctuary of beauty, colour, and light. A wheel-chair accessible elliptical sandstone path, with black granite beads marking out a Rosary on the path now forms the core of the new garden. Around this are five comfortable oak memorial benches, nestled between rose bushes and swaying foxgloves, where one can sit and contemplate and pray. In the heart of the garden, ringed by this path, is a bed of beautiful Marian flowers which surround five plaques illustrating the five Mysteries of Light. These plaques with scenes from Christ's public ministry were made by the nuns of the Monastic Family of Bethlehem.

The focal point of the garden is a specially-commissioned statue of the Virgin Mary at Cana, whose lips are open to say: "Do whatever He tells you." (John 2:5) This elegant and serene statue was designed and sculpted by the Florentine sculptor, Cody Swanson.

The Luminous Mysteries Rosary Garden was opened and blessed on 24 May 2019, and it brings light and beauty to the lives of the local community, welcoming both passers-by on the busy path that runs alongside the garden, as well as pilgrims to the Shrine. Whatever one's faith and religious beliefs, the Rosary Garden is open to all people.

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Walk through a shady side return into a calm and cool oasis with a variety of borders and spaces, sun and mostly shade. Planted in accordance with several microclimates generated by surrounding buildings and limited sun, garden is based on structure of green textures year round with backdrop of relaxing purple and whites, climaxing in russet to orange in late summer. Mirrors create sense of intrigue and reflect light. Garden features grasses, wild ginger and water fountain in sunniest spot, while shade loving species, especially many varieties of ferns elsewhere. Central orb of lawn brings it all together for play and relaxation. Mature species trees in include productive fig and plum; while sedum and wild flowers on the rooftop attracts bees and butterflies.