Category: Edinburgh BotanicsPage 25 of 50

From field to lab and back again

As part of the Scottish Plants Project we are trying to understand the propagation requirements of 170 of Scotlands’s most threatened or vulnerable species. We are well on…

Room to roam

Swelling nicely for the Halloween harvest is a patch of Pumpkins. These trailing members of the Cucurbitaceae family have appreciated the warmth of this summer. Cucurbita maxima ‘Yellow…

Chalice flower

Blooms resembling a chalice are opening on the vigorous growth of Solandra grandiflora covering the railing of the elevated walkway in the temperate house. Planted in the border…

The Fig harvest

Relegated to the back of our memories during the past dismal summers and severe winters, a Fig tree has cropped well this year. A handsome specimen, Ficus carica,…

A late Lilium

Lilium leichtlinii var. maximowiczii; tall growing and bright of flower. A welcome splash of colour in the woodland area at the start of autumn. At a height touching…

Malus yunnanensis

A good year for apples, cultivated and botanical. Malus yunnanensis is no exception. A native to south western Provinces of China. The seed was collected in Yunnan Province…

Colour combo in the potager

Plants raised from seed in March, grown on under cover until the cold spring ended and planted out during May to form this year’s successful potager. In the…

Sunshine on a stalk

This is the time to appreciate the phenomenal growth of Sunflowers, Helianthus annuus and the large yellow head of flowers. Some, to celebrate their size, go by the…

Coastal adventures

The new bed of Scottish native plants near the rock garden is starting to fill out, but there are still some gaps that we need to fill. The…

Visitors – welcome and unwelcome

In the herbaceous border a fine patch of Coreopsis verticillata ‘Grandiflora’ is attracting pollinating insects as well as the attention of visitors due to the clear bright yellow…

The Amazon visits the Botanics

The Garden has teamed up with Sky Rainforest Rescue and WWF to bring a rainforest experience in a dome! The dome started construction on Tuesday (13/08) and was…

The search is on….

I had the good fortune last week to be involved in field work in the Scottish Highlands, along with RBGE arborist Paul Mullany and Natsha de Vere from…

Pop Up! Edinburgh

Grow! by Pop Up! Edinburgh is our latest art exhibit which is showcasing unique pieces of glass artwork from 13 various artists. The idea of Pop Up! Edinburgh…

Chusan Palm

Trachycarpus fortune This hardy oriental palm survives not only the Edinburgh climate, but in the far north west of Scotland. At Scourie in Sutherland a specimen is growing…

Bangkoule palm

Livistona carinensis This desert fan palm, native to Somalia in NE Africa, to Djibouti and to Yemen in southern Arabia, is found along creek sides and in valley…

Bangalow palm

Archontophoenix cunninghamia This Australian palm bears attractive trusses of violet flowers followed by red fruits. It occurs in warm humid tropical and subtropical forests. Its popular name reflects…

Canary Island date palm

Phoenix canariensis This solitary palm can reach heights in excess of 40 metres in its native islands, where it is also known as the pineapple palm. It is…

Fishtail palm

Caryota mitis Gracefully arching overhead are the tall fronds of this distinctive palm, with each leaflet resembling the tail fin of a fish. In common with most of…

Latanier palm

Roscheria melanochaetes This young palm gives gives visitors a chance to get up close – but beware the rings of black spines at each leaf junction with the…

Slender lady palm

Raphis humilis This elegant palm is native to southern China and tends, as here in the Tropical Palm House, to produce a dense stand of many thin stems,…