Category: HorticulturePage 51 of 59

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

Honesty enduring

Perennial Honesty is a plant of the cottage garden. Scented flowers reliably produced on this herbaceous member of the Cruciferae family. The plant of Lunaria rediviva in this…

Musical notes with a frond melody

Osmunda regalis ‘Hillii’ is a cultivar of the deciduous species. As shoots sprout from the base the growing points elongate and unfurl at different rates. These shoots are…

Dandelion days

The Easter weekend looms closer. Traditionally the time to take the garden seriously again. Where soil has not been prepared through the winter this long weekend allows catch…

Amelanchier canadensis

Amelanchier canadensis is a large easily grown North American deciduous shrub preferring a moist root run. The beauty is in the pure white petals, blemish free, these are…

Cold spring – hot chocolate

Today sees the launch of the Queen Mother Memorial Garden souvenir guide. The garden, designed, constructed and planted in 2004/05 and opened to the public in 2006 is…

Stellar stellata

Native to Japan and suited to the borders of all gardens, Magnolia stellata is the representative of this genus to cultivate where space limits the height and spread…

Planting for the future

The front lawn now boasts three young plants of Cedrus libanii. Those that know the Garden will remember the magnificent, mature that took centre stage in this lawn…

Hammered steel, reflected glory

Crafted from steel in the heat of a forge the gates at the top of the east drive are best appreciated when the early morning sun is reflecting…

South America to a south wall

Campsidium valdivianum is a weak woody climber with us, in its native Chile it grows to 15 metres. Found at low altitudes 500m – 2000m in interior valleys…

The Lanigerum legend

A story of beauty, tempestuous weather and tragedy. All in a season’s growth for an otherwise hardy stalwart of the living plant collection. Rhododendron lanigerum (see 2/2/2009 for…

A diminutive delight

The family Umbelliferae is more frequently known for its large stature members. Hacquetia epipactis turns that view on its head. Found growing in woodland through Europe as a…

A sea of blue

The sun has been more in evidence during the past week. This has boosted the appearance of the spring bulbs. In the rock garden Iris histrioides has taken…

Sticks in the snow

The recent snow has given the edge to plants grown for their winter stem colour. The light green stems of Cornus stolonifera ‘Flaviramea’ show up as the sun,…

Gathering of Galanthophiles

The end of the week sees the first Scottish Snowdrop Conference. Held on Friday 20 February at the Garden it is part of the Scottish Snowdrop Festival. In…

Store cupboard staples

Viburnum betulifolium is a strong growing deciduous shrub. It is laden with bright red berries, ideal bird food. The shiny surface must act as a visual deterrent as…

Celebrating the snowman as art

After days of watching news bulletins showing snow covering many areas of Britain; finally last night the flakes started to fall. Silently 50mm of snow layered itself gently…

The aptly named “Winter Aconite”

As blizzards of snow envelope Britain the “Winter Aconites”, Eranthis hyemalis, show through the white blanket that carpets the land. With a wide geographical spread from Europe to…

Braw buds

Braw; a late 16th century Scottish word, a variant of brave. Nowadays meaning fine, excellent, attractive. Words that describe the developing flower buds of Rhododendron lanigerum. At this…

Intense scent

As January fades the heavy scent from Sarcococca confusa intensifies. A dense growing evergreen preferring the woodland edge but happy in deep shade also. Listed as origin unknown,…

Not “difformed”; but a fine form

Now well established in the Copse is the evergreen Vinca difformis. Straggly bootlace shoots are sent out over ground at a rate of knots. Occasionally rooting down at…