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Lawn invaders

At this time of year you may observe two interesting fungal colonisers through lawns. These gain a foothold during dank and humid conditions where they often colonise poorly…

Ligularia dentata

This species is a native to Japan where it establishes on forest margins and in clearings. When in cultivation; enjoying a position on a stream side with exposure…

November 2012: Welcome Splashes of Colour in the Rock Garden

Hesperantha coccinea (River Lily or Crimson Flag) is a flowering plant in the family Iridaceae, native to South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is never far away from water…

Winter Herbs in the Edible Garden

As described last week we have planted up the polytunnel with hardy winter greens.  The crop includes some winter herbs; parsley, chervil and coriander can all see the winter…

Dangling delight

Acer pectinatum ssp. laxiflora. This Acer flowered well and now we are reaping the benefit of the winged seed. The reddish pink wings envelope the seed, multiples are…

October in the edible garden at the Botanics

It’s all change in the edible garden. The final green tomatoes have been made into chutney. The sweetcorn is nearly ready we just need a little bit more…

Blue blooded hybrid

Gentiana ‘Braemar’; raised from Gentian species crossed in East Lothian by Ian McNaughton of Macplants. With possible parentage of G. veitchiorum and G. hexaphylla the result is a…

Páramo Chingaza, Colombia

Paramo Chingaza, Colombia

rbgeColombia

We aim to inform people of the work we are doing in Colombia, one of the most biodiverse countries on earth, with ecosystems ranging from deserts and rain…

Autumn colour

The deciduous foliage of Tripterygium regelii is yellowing gracefully. This ungainly climber reaches 5 metres in Japan from where seed was collected. In Amori Prefecture it was growing…

Red leaf stalks

The family Euphorbiaceae is more usually associated with the warmth of home at Christmas time when Poinsettias are the house plant of choice. Mallotus japonicus is also a…

Harvest Festival at the Botanics

We had a glorious day for our Harvest Festival on the 23rd September. The sun came out and brought the crowds with it. Visitors arriving on one of…

A neglected genus

Eleutherococcus leucorrhizus is a sparsely spined, deciduous shrub that is growing from a turn of the 20th Century Wilson collection. Native to SW China where it grows in…

October 2012: The Smell of Candyfloss

The autumn colours are developing in the Edinburgh Garden with an increasing presence. One of the regular performers is Cercidiphyllum japonicum, a multi-branched small tree native to China…

Farewell to plot

Today it is the last time I am visiting my plot. It is going to be taken over by a new student next week. Looking back at the…

“The Apprentices Potager”

Designed, planned and planted by the three Horticulture Apprentices the potager is a collection of vegetables and flowers; in effect a flowering vegetable garden with origins in France….

Passion

Passiflora vitifolia a native to Central America. A sturdy and vigorous plant that soon covers a sizeable section of the Orchid and Cycad glasshouse it is growing in….

Brightness to end a poor summer

Despite the wet overcast summer the spikes of bloom on Watsonia pillansii are magnificent. Distinct in the south facing border of the Front Range this native to Eastern…

Jobs for autumn in the edible garden

I don’t feel quite ready yet to think about autumn tasks in the garden but all the evidence suggests that summer is coming to an end. I had to clear fallen leaves from some of…