Category: HorticulturePage 29 of 59

Latest blog stories connected with horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Nothofagus obliqua

One of the tallest trees here in the garden at Inverleith is the Nothofagus obliqua in the Woodland garden. Nothofagus obliqua grows well in the British Isles but doesn’t perform well…

Culprit identified in the case of the fallen flowers

Grey Squirrels were introduced from North America in the mid 19th Century and in most of the UK have displaced the native Red Squirrel. The Grey Squirrel is…

Spectacular display of Rhododendrons and Magnolias

The sky on Saturday morning was a clear blue and spring has definitely arrived. The Rhododendrons and Magnolias in the copse certainly think so. The fantastic light was…

Frog spawn

Spring is here, the frogs know!

Latua pubiflora

Latua pubiflora has been in flower intermitently since January this year and is still going strong! Click here for more information

Scoliopus bigelovii

Scoliopus bigelovii is referred to as having quaint flowers by the Alpine Garden Society in their Encyclopaedia of Alpines. The RHS dictionary of Gardening is more specific, mentioning…

A host of golden Daffodils

Drifts of daffodils are brightening the Rock Garden just now. They aren’t the UK native species that Wordsworth was referring too, but a diminutive cousin, Narcissus cyclamineus. Over the…

Perfect for the woodland floor: Chrysosplenium macrophyllum

A mass planting of Chrysosplenium macrophyllum in the woodland garden is looking its best with a profusion of flowers. Botanically, a terminal cymose inflorescence, a selection of Chrysoplenium…

First flight of the Forsythia : Forsythia x intermedia ‘Spring Glory’

It must be spring, the Forsythia has coloured up. Noticeable colour in the buds clothing the bare stems is the first sign that we are pulling out of…

First Scottish natives in flower

Saxifraga oppositifolia, the Purple Saxifrage is a plant well known to Scottish hill walkers for its very early display of bright pink flowers. The plants on the Target 8…

Vertical gardening – on tufa!

The tufa wall was planted up last May, and some of the species are now starting to flower. Primula allionii and Dionysia aretoides are two of the plants putting on…

Yet more Mediterranean scents; Iris unguicularis ssp. cretensis

Continuing from last weeks post with the theme of flowers requiring warmth to release their scent is Iris unguicularis ssp. cretensis. A delightful compact species with, at bud…

A plethora of Primula’s

Well perhaps this is a slight exaggeration, but there are quite a few Primulas now flowering in the garden and Alpine House. This large and geographically widespread genus, found in…

Work begins on the Yew conservation hedge

If you have been in the garden this week you will have heard the woodchipper working away in the demonstration garden. The Arboretum team have been working to…

Mediterranean scent, Clematis cirrhosa

Clematis cirrhosa is the strong growing evergreen climber that hangs around and above the wooden door leading through from the alpine area into the growing on area beyond….

Alpine Jewel Box

Known to some staff members as the alpine jewel box at this time of year, this small glasshouse located in front of the Palm House is a tapestry of…

Spring beauty from the East

A number of early flowering Rhododendrons have burst into flower over the past week in the Woodland Garden. All were collected in the early 1900’s in the Himalaya…

Yew hedge

Work is soon to start with the removal of the existing perimeter hedge at RBG Edinburth Inverleith site and replacing it with  plants  of  the Common Yew (Taxus…

Eranthis cilicica

Not needing the protection of the Alpine House but cultivated to perfection therein is a pot of Eranthis cilicia. This species has much smaller, narrower and linear foliage…

Blooming Hellebores

While snowdrops flowers are continuing to appear apace in the Rock Garden. The few rays of sunshine this week have encouraged some of the Hellebores in the Woodland Garden…