Helleborus orientalis found growing through southern Europe and into SW Asia. Seed to grow this plant was collected in Georgia from a plant growing with Primula sp. on…
On 3 January 2015, Gavin Powell, one of the RBGE Visitor Welcome team, spotted an unusual bird with bright yellow head perched on brambles opposite the Cryptogamic Garden….
Carpeting the ground beneath Picea orientalis are the remains of cones that have been stripped of seed by the Gardens grey squirrel population. They have systematically worked their…
December 2014 was a month of varied weather, starting rather cold but sunny with some slight frosts, with a wetter, stormier period in the middle of the month,…
Duchesnea indica carries an interesting berry resembling a miniature strawberry. This invasive stoloniferous ground covering plant was introduced from Taiwan where it was growing in sub-tropical rainforest. Quite…
The appearance of Hygrophorus hypothejus– commonly known as The Herald of Winter- traditionally signals the beginning of winter and the end of the mushroom season. Hygrophorus mushrooms- commonly…
Euonymus spraguei is a recent introduction from Taiwan, found growing in cool temperate coniferous forest from 1100 – 2800m in association with Chamaecyparis formosensis, Pinus armandii, P.taiwanensis, Tsuga…
Three months into the contruction phase of the project, elements of the Botanic Cottage are now really starting to take shape. It’s wonderful to see the outline of…
The trees planted adjacent to the coffee shop at the East Gate Lodge include three species found only on Arran on the west coast of Scotland. The origin…
This year is marks the centenary of the death of one of America’s foremost conservationists; the Scots-born John Muir. Still remembered for his understanding of the need to…
We are very excited to be hosting a unique artwork by Caithness artist Joanne B Kaar in the John Hope Gateway this December. The artwork, which was inspired…
Leratiomyces ceres is a common and easily recognised fungus which can be found throughout the Botanics from summer to late autumn. It grows mainly on woodchip mulches but…
Bryologists at RBGE are actively engaged in recording bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) in Scotland, and 2014 turned out to be an eventful year, when we made two…
November 2014 continued to be mostly mild with no notable cold spells although there were several fairly typical days of ‘November gloom’ and indeed the second half of…
Leucoagaricus croceovelutinus, also known as the Blushing Dapperling, is rare saprobic fungus found on decaying leaf litter, often with conifers . This particular collection was made under mature…
Programming is becoming an increasingly useful skill as it can aid in the execution of large, repetitive tasks, and in running analyses of large data sets. Four staff…
This webcap mushroom- believed to be Cortinarius ochroleucus– has recently been found growing at the Botanics. The fungus, which is a new record for Edinburgh (Vice County 83), was…