Author: Max ColemanPage 4 of 8

Hibiscus clayi

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Ah, the Hawaiian Islands. Volcanic islands with steeple-like mountains clothed in rich green vegetation ringed with beautiful beaches,…

Lodoicea maldivica

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: ENDANGERED Far off the coast of east Africa the Seychelles are tiny specks of green in the vast Indian Ocean….

Encephalartos lebomboensis

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: ENDANGERED Take a look at the odd plant with a scaly trunk and a crown full of stiff fronds. Is…

Nesocodon mauritianus

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE Take yourself to the island of Mauritius located far off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Now…

Strange fruit offer lifeline to rare elms

If you are visiting the Botanics in 2017 you might see some curious objects hanging in the elm trees. This is not an art installation, but in fact…

Thought for Food: Broadening your horizons

Blog by Andy Crofts of the Big Picnic project I think I am an adventurous eater but I’ve always understood that some plants are poisonous and that applies…

Thought for Food: Robin Gourlay

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, Fanni Barocsi and Georgina Hill, University of Edinburgh students We met Robin on a rainy afternoon at the Government offices in Saughton House….

Thought for Food: Chelsea Marshall

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, Fanni Barocsi and Georgina Hill, University of Edinburgh students We met Chelsea Marshall on a sun filled morning at the Summerhall Café to…

Thought for Food: Eating local and seasonal

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, University of Edinburgh student Some weeks ago, we wrote about the Permanent Global Summertime and the impression that supermarkets give us that all…

Thought for Food: A dive into academia

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, Fanni Barocsi and Georgina Hill, University of Edinburgh students Dr. Wendy Wrieden is a member of the Food Security Advisory Group working on…

Thought for Food: Storytelling

On Thursday 2nd March the Thought for Food participants gathered at the Botanic Cottage for lunch and to discuss the next steps of the project. Soup was made…

Thought for Food: Ben Dell

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, Fanni Barocsi and Georgina Hill, University of Edinburgh students Ben is kind, talkative and passionate about growing food. He says he has been…

Thought for Food: Andy Crofts

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, Fanni Barocsi and Georgina Hill, University of Edinburgh students Andy’s passion for plants is clear. What he enjoys most about his job is…

Climate pins down dreaded tree disease

The day that Storm Doris arrives seems a fitting time to mention newly published research that suggests cold and windy weather has actually been responsible for holding back…

Thought for Food: Permanent global summertime

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, University of Edinburgh student Have you ever asked yourself where the bananas that you eat come from? Have you wondered the same about…

Thought for Food: Community fridge initiatives

Blog by Georgina Hill, University of Edinburgh student For some, accessing fresh, nutritious food can be a challenge. Fruit and veg can be hard to transport and relatively…

Thought for Food: Charity spotlight

Blog by Fanni Barocsi, University of Edinburgh student Charities around Scotland and other parts of the world play a vital role regarding food security in local communities. Here…

Thought for Food: Reflections

As placement students from the University of Edinburgh at the Royal Botanic Gardens, our first day was far from conventional. Cristina was “amazed and entranced by the beauty,…

Thought for Food: Overcoming barriers

Today the media is covering a story about vegetable shortages here in the UK due to poor weather in southern Europe. This is a timely reminder to us…

Big Picnic: Thought for Food

Thinking about food is something we all do everyday when we get hungry. We are also increasingly being urged to think about food by medical professionals who give…