It’s another of the Kew Gardens collection books from Welbeck for review today as I’m taking a look at Kew: The Psychedelic Garden by Sandra Lawrence thanks to lovely Isabelle Wilson at Headline who sent me a copy in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share my review today.
The other Kew books I have reviewed are:
Fragrance by Josh Carter and Samuel Gearing reviewed here
Parched by Philip Clayton reviewed here
The Apothecary’s Garden by Emma Wayland reviewed here
Published by Welbeck on 24th July 2025 The Psychedelic Garden is available for purchase through the publisher links here.
Kew: The Psychedelic Garden
From ancient ayahuasca rituals in the Amazon to substance-fuelled partying in the Summer of Love, psychoactive plants have been used for thousands of years for everything from shamanic ceremonies to staying awake. The Psychedelic Garden is a fascinating exploration of these incredible species that, for centuries, have helped shape the way we see the world.
With expert text and gorgeous botanical illustrations from the archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this mind-expanding book delves into the folklore, cultural relevance and botanical background of these remarkable plants.
My Review of The Psychedelic Garden
The history and folklore of mind-altering plants!
Crikey! This is quite a read.
Before I get on to the contents, however, I must once again praise the physical properties of The Psychedelic Garden. As with other books in the Kew series that I’ve read, this one has all the high quality properties I’ve come to expect, making it a wonderful gift book. Beautifully illustrated with everything from film posters through superb images from the Kew library to even a Jimi Hendrix poster, there’s so much to delight the eye. The hard back cover is weighty and robust with lovely end papers too.
This isn’t a gardening book about cultivation, but rather a journey into all the elements of mind-altering plants to the extent that it seems to have the same effect as some of the plants featured. Quite a lot of the information is mind-blowing – you might be very surprised at the effect of the kava plant stalk but you’ll need to read the book for yourself to discover why!
One of the aspects I especially appreciated is the reference to literature. Sandra Lawrence’s introduction begins with a mention of Aldous Huxley and there are literary examples and instances throughout from Frank Baum to Shakespeare, so that those who prefer fiction to non-fiction will find relevance here. Indeed, to quote from the Tea section, ‘it’s the stories that count’.
It’s quite hard to review The Psychedelic Garden without simply regurgitating some of the fascinating facts and details contained within its pages, but this book takes the reader on all kinds of journeys. From its pages you’ll discover the effects of plants, information about history, geography and culture for example. You’ll find out where words originated and learn far more than might be imagined. I absolutely abhor cigarettes and one of the facts I enjoyed the most was discovering that in 1604 James VI and I wrote an anti-smoking treatise called ‘A Counterblaste to Tobacco’.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Psychedelic Garden. It’s the kind of book that tells you all kinds of interesting and entertaining things you never even imagined or knew you wanted to know. It’s part of an excellent series and I think its my favourite so far.
About Sandra Lawrence
Sandra Lawrence is a journalist and author. She writes for the Evening Standard, Guardian, Financial Times, The Times, Londonist.com and the English Garden. She is the London columnist for British Heritage magazine and is on the Q&A panel of experts for History Revealed magazine.
For further information visit Sandra’s website, follow her on X @MissVolare or find Sandra on Instagram.
English (US) · 