SW3 goes bananas

Founded in 1673, the Chelsea Physic Garden has been growing exotic plants for 330 years and its gardeners experiencing the strange, the abnormal and the eccentric in this horticultural oasis in the centre of London. Latest in a long line of unusual occurrences is the New Year flowering and fruiting of the hardy Japanese banana plant, Musa basjoo, which was originally planted in the Garden in 1995. Head Gardener, Mark Poswillo, said that, while the hardy banana had become popular as a garden plant, it was still extraordinary to see both the flowers and fruit on the same plant at the same time in January. Visitors to the garden will get the chance to see the banana when the Garden opens its doors on the first two weekends of February for its annual Snowdrop Days event. Garden's web site (in new window)