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Garden Highlights 2023

It has certainly been another busy and productive year in the garden for everyone working at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). A garden is never static, it…

Towards 3 million specimens: Ilex aquifolium: A Symbol of Christmas and Beyond

The following blog was written by Courtney Kemnitz a digitiser in the Herbarium. Since 2021 we have increased our digitisation capacity with the goal of getting to 1…

Day 10: Ten lords a-leaping – Arum maculatum, Lords and ladies

Arum maculatum – Lords and ladies – was collected for the Darwin Tree of Life project by Dr Maarten Christenhusz (Royal Botanic Garden Kew) on the 27th April 2021, on Petersham common, a conserved woodland in Greater London.

Day 9: Nine ladies dancing – Alchemilla alpina, the alpine Lady’s mantle

Alchemilla alpina, the alpine Lady’s mantle was collected for the Darwin Tree of Life project by Dr Markus Ruhsam from a rock ledge on Ben Lawers, on the 16th June 2021.

Day 8: Eight maids a-milking – Polygala serpyllifolia, heath milkwort

Polygala serpyllifolia – heath milkwort – was collected for the Darwin Tree of Life project by Dr Markus Ruhsam, down from the dam at Lochan na Lairige on Ben Lawers, on the 7th June 2022.

Day 7: Seven swans a-swimming – Mnium hornum, Swan’s neck thyme moss

Mnium hornum – Swan’s neck thyme moss – was collected for the Darwin Tree of Life project by Dr David Bell on the 18th August 2020, in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Day 6: Six geese a-laying– Ribes uva-crispa, Gooseberry

Gooseberry – Ribes uva-crispa – was collected for the Darwin Tree of Life project by Dr Markus Ruhsamn Roslin glen on the 30th April 2023.

Day 5: Five gold rings – Solidago virgaurea, Goldenrod

Solidago virgaurea – goldenrod – was collected for the Darwin Tree of Life project by Dr Markus Ruhsam in a woodland near the banks of Loch Lomond, on the 1st Sept 2021.

Towards 3 million specimens: Digitising Scrophulariaceae

The following blog was written by Becky Camfield a digitiser in the Herbarium. Since 2021 we have increased our digitisation capacity with the goal of getting to 1…

Day 4: Four calling birds- Scapania ornithopoides, the Birds-foot Earwort

Scapania ornithopoides, the ‘Birds-foot Earwort’ was collected for the Darwin Tree of Life project by Dr David Bell and Dr David Long at the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve on the 22nd August 2021.

Day 3: Three French hens – Orchis mascula, Hen’s kames

Orchis mascula was collected for the Darwin Tree of Life project by Dr Markus Ruhsam on the 23rd May 2023, near Lochan na Lairige on Ben Lawers. One of the Scots names for this plant is Hen’s kames

Day 2: Two turtle doves – Geranium molle, the Dove’s foot cranebill

Geranium molle, the Dove’s foot cranebill, was collected for the Darwin Tree of Life project on the 9th of May 2022 by Dr Markus Ruhsam, on the verge of a road that passes over a golf course.

Day 1: A partridge in a pear tree – Pyrus communis, the pear tree

A specimen of Pyrus communis, the pear tree, was collected for the DToL project by Dr Markus Ruhsam at the Hermitage of Braid in Edinburgh on the 31st May 2022.

The Twelve Days of DToL

We have already seen the release of the thousandth Darwin Tree of Life genome, the Purple Bar moth, Cosmorhoe ocellata. To celebrate this festive season, we have considered what we have given, or might like to receive, for our own twelve days of Christmas…

Reviving Benmore’s giants

Reviving a stressed 50m tree feels daunting but having 49 ailing giant redwoods to revive has been one of the biggest challenges. Peter baxter, curator, benmore botanic garden…

Postcards from the Biomes: The Last Fern to Leave

A new Postcards from the Biomes following the move of the last fern to leave the Ferns and Fossils Glasshouse at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Flowers for William, Elizabeth and Margaret McNab

In May 1810 the McNab family took up residence in Botanics Cottage, then on its original site on Leith Walk. The family consisted of William, his wife Elizabeth,…

Rainforest elm

Awareness that Britain is a rainforest nation is finally growing. Environmental organisations are doing their best to get Britain’s rainforests the recognition they deserve. But one man, Guy…

It’s a steal for Magnolias!

The following post was written by Chris Knowles, a digitiser working in the RBGE Herbarium. As part of my first year at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh as…

Resilient plant communities

Diversity is the basis of resilience. But we tend to focus on the number of species or habitats and not the diversity within a single species. This is…