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Just one of the amazing things about lichens is… You don’t have to go to a tropical rainforest, the Caledonian Forest or the far west coast of Scotland…
Some of us try our best to discourage ants in the garden. I’m not sure why as they really don’t do any harm. However, in the plant kingdom…
Outdoor Air pollution Air pollution is a huge global environmental health issue, as recognised by the World Health Organisation. The air quality in Scotland is generally very good,…
The idea formed quite early on in my TCV Natural Talent Traineeship based at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to develop a specific tool kit to help people…
Warmth in the air and a lack of frost will give a good flowering season amongst the Rhododendron collection. One worth searching the copse for is Rhododendron davidii….
March 2016, like February, began on a rather windy note as Storm Jake passed through although the Garden was relatively unaffected. The month’s other major storm, Katie over…
Protection of the habitat is a perhaps the most effective method of conservation of plant diversity, yet this alone cannot guarantee the survival of some of our most…
Primula allionii seen in pots in the traditional alpine house and colonising the tufa wall in the modern structure too. Also worth a mention is Saxifraga dinnikii alba….
Happy Easter everyone! Just to let you know it’s still pretty quiet with the sparrowhawks although I have seen some dotting about so hopefully nesting will be underway…
Monitoring the wildlife in the Garden is an ongoing task that helps us understand the value of gardens, and other amenity greenspaces, for all sorts of different animals….
Introduction A rolling condition survey of mounted herbarium specimens was recommended in the 2010 RBGE Synthesys Self-Assessment Collections Care Report. An initial pilot survey was carried out in…
Amongst the array of fine spring flowering bulbs in the alpine house is a pot of Erythronium grandiflorum ssp. grandiflorum. A native of western North America found growing…
If anyone had asked me if I knew any plants belonging to the Sapotaceae family eight weeks ago, I would have had no suggestions – I probably wouldn’t…
British Art Show 8 has now been open for a whole month at Inverleith House, along with our partner venues Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh and the…
The Sapotaceae plant family provides us with some wonderful examples of the sometimes intricate interactions plants have with animals. One of the more intriguing cases is that of…
One of the most recognisable groups in the bryophytes, the complex thalloid liverwort genus Marchantia, has just become a bit larger. We have sunk Preissia and Bucegia into…
Archaeological studies have shown that, ‘Biochar’, or at least a similar product, was used by ancient Amazonians to add to the soil to help with their food growing….
In the past I have written about botanical ‘swagger prints’ – large-format illustrations commissioned at least in part to boost the ego of the commissioner. At RBGE (from…
In order ‘to explore, conserve and explain the world of plants’ we need to build up our collections, both of living plants and herbarium specimens, especially from under-collected…
Think remnants as you get out into the garden to tidy up now the days are longer. Birds are looking about for pieces of vegetation to use as…