Category: HorticulturePage 30 of 59

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

Season’s highlight, Rubus sp. ghostly white stems, dig out and divide for more plants.

A vigorous mass planting of white stemmed Rubus sp. had spread to the detriment of neighbouring, weaker growing plants. The ideal time to dig out the extensive mass…

Glasshouse Plant Profile: Theobroma cacao L.

Description Cocoa is an evergreen tropical tree, usually 5 to 8m tall. The flowers are small, yellowish white to pale pink and grow directly from the trunk. In…

The national tree

The Scots Pine is an iconic tree within the Scottish landscape. Easily recognisable with its reddish trunk, best appreciated during a west coast sunset when the rays from…

Early spring flowers

The first snowdrops are starting to unfurl in the Rock garden. Two of the earliest species that we have are Galanthus ‘Anglesey Abbey’ and Galanthus ‘Opehlia’. To enjoy…

Seasonal plant of interest : Photinia serratifolia

Out with the mower on the 22nd; last Wednesday, topping off the Palm House lawns which with the mildness of the winter had that straggly appearance of uneven…

Seasonal Plant of Interest : Kalopanax septemlobus

Beneath the extensive branch framework of Kalopanax septemlobus lays a carpet of fallen fruit. Further from the canopy edge are seedlings that have germinated from viable seed that…

Unseasonal fruit and flowers

Backed by a west facing wall, Tomato plants set in grow bags in the lean to glasshouse of the Fletcher Building are continuing to yield edible fruit. For…

Exotic fruit amongst the leaf litter

Hanging by a fragile stalk from the terminal bud, the colourful bean pod like fruits of Decaisnea fargesii are an exotic shade of blue. The upright growth of…

Sylva

  2014 marks the 350th anniversary of the publication in 1664 of John Evelyn’s classic book Sylva: a discourse of forest trees and the propagation of timber in…

All a quiver: Dipelta yunnanensis

A touch of breeze and the brown wafer thin seed pods of this Dipelta yunnanensis are set quivering on the leafless shoots. The twin wing like bracts give…

Glasshouse Plant Profile: Tahina spectabilis

Description: This rare palm can reach a height of over 18m in its natural habitat, and has large fan-shaped leaves. It has an unusual lifecycle, flowering only once…

Leaves holding for effect: Xanthorhiza simplicissima

Xanthorhiza simplicissima; a deciduous shrub with pinnate foliage that slowly colours into early winter. Surprisingly, a member of the Buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. Native to Eastern North America where…

Glasshouse Plant Profile: Bamboo

Bamboos are essentially a group of toughened grasses. This particular giant bamboo is known as Bambusa vulgaris. It is an open clump-forming species with striped stems and dark…

Red sky at night…….

On Thursday we were treated to a fantastic sunset as we left work. Luckily I had my camera with me. November 2013 has given us many fine days…

2013 HND Students celebrate national tree week by planting 117 trees and shrubs in the garden

National Tree Week, 23 November – 1 December  is the UK’s largest tree  celebration and launches the start of the winter tree planting  season. Today we have been taking…

Takeover Day Scotland

Takeover Day Scotland is a celebration of children and young people’s contribution to museums, galleries and historic homes. It is a day on which they are given meaningful…

Tepee town

Coincidentally set out to resemble a group of tepees, the giant leaves of Gunnera manicata have been cut down. Left to stand, the winter winds would gust through…

The Bluebell debate

When the RBGE announced the results for the public vote on Scotland’s Big 5 Favourite Plants the Scottish Bluebell came second to the Scot’s Pine. Since then, there…

CUBG Horticulture Training Course Kunming

From 14th – 22nd November 35 staff from 20 of China’s Botanical Gardens have been attending a horticulture training course at Kunming Botanic Garden. This course has been…

Cleaning seed

Most people gather seasonal fruits for preserves. At the Garden we collect a selection of material for seed sowing demonstrations as class practical’s for the various horticultural courses…