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Eranthis cilicica

Not needing the protection of the Alpine House but cultivated to perfection therein is a pot of Eranthis cilicia. This species has much smaller, narrower and linear foliage…

2013 RBGE Edinburgh Invertebrates Report

Just over 350 species of invertebrate were recorded at the Edinburgh Botanics in 2013. Of these, just under 200, or 55%, had not been recorded in the Garden…

Sparrowhawk takes a bath

On Thursday 6 February three horticultural staff and I had the very special privilege of watching an adult female Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus having a long bath in the…

January Wildlife Report

BIRDS Thirty-nine bird species were recorded in the Edinburgh ‘Botanics’ in January 2014. They included a possibly wintering Chiffchaff, heard calling (and trying to sing briefly) once (20th),…

Walking With Poets Celebration

On 28 November 2013, the RBGE hosted a public closing event for the Walking With Poets project – a special collaboration with the Scottish Poetry Library. The project,…

Blooming Hellebores

While snowdrops flowers are continuing to appear apace in the Rock Garden. The few rays of sunshine this week have encouraged some of the Hellebores in the Woodland Garden…

Flowers in the Edible Garden

Growing flowers amongst your vegetables has several benefits. Not only do they look great but they help to attract pollinating insects and confuse pests. Many flowers are edible,…

Season’s highlight, Rubus sp. ghostly white stems, dig out and divide for more plants.

A vigorous mass planting of white stemmed Rubus sp. had spread to the detriment of neighbouring, weaker growing plants. The ideal time to dig out the extensive mass…

Glasshouse Plant Profile: Theobroma cacao L.

Description Cocoa is an evergreen tropical tree, usually 5 to 8m tall. The flowers are small, yellowish white to pale pink and grow directly from the trunk. In…

The national tree

The Scots Pine is an iconic tree within the Scottish landscape. Easily recognisable with its reddish trunk, best appreciated during a west coast sunset when the rays from…

Early spring flowers

The first snowdrops are starting to unfurl in the Rock garden. Two of the earliest species that we have are Galanthus ‘Anglesey Abbey’ and Galanthus ‘Opehlia’. To enjoy…

10 reliable vegetables to grow in Scotland

If you have recently acquired an allotment or garden choosing which vegetables to grow can seem daunting. Here is a list of 10 tried and tested vegetables to…

Seasonal plant of interest : Photinia serratifolia

Out with the mower on the 22nd; last Wednesday, topping off the Palm House lawns which with the mildness of the winter had that straggly appearance of uneven…

Who was John Williamson?

At 4 o’clock in the morning on the 23rd of September 1780, a brutal assault took place on Princes Street. A group of armed smugglers ‘beat and wounded’…

Hibernating Orange Ladybird

I thought I’d recorded no insects in the Botanics this week, but when downloading the week’s images from my camera this evening I found this shot of an…

What is your favourite tree book of all time?

In advance of the Sylva exhibition, opening in the John Hope Gateway, RBGE and the National Botanic Garden of Wales in April 2014 we want to find the…

Chiffchaff’s winter visit

Yesterday morning almost the first thing I heard when coming through the North Gate was the call of a Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)! It then gave a very brief,…

Seasonal Plant of Interest : Kalopanax septemlobus

Beneath the extensive branch framework of Kalopanax septemlobus lays a carpet of fallen fruit. Further from the canopy edge are seedlings that have germinated from viable seed that…

Stories of the stones…

Today I went over to the nursery to see the stones from the deconstructed Botanic Cottage for the first time – palette after palette of stones of all…

Discover Botanic Cottage…

‘Edin. 29th March 1765. Received from Dr John Hope Professor of Botany in the College of Edinburgh, the sum of fifteen pounds ster for making Plans and Estimates…