Botanic Lights cancelled tonight -Thursday 12 November
Unfortunately, Botanic Lights is cancelled tonight for safety reasons due to severe weather conditions forecast for this evening.
For further info visit bge.org.uk/botaniclights
Tag: RBGE
Extended opening to see (smell?) ‘New Reekie’ at The Botanics!
It’s not particularly pretty and it stinks like a rotting corpse – meet the plant they’re all talking about at the Botanics … !
Our Amorphophallus titanum (titan arum), one of the world’s biggest and smelliest blooms, is set to flower and could look like the one (above) at Basel. It’s a first for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and for Scotland.
There was great excitement at the Garden this morning when horticulturists discovered the bud had started to unfurl to reveal a flower. The plant is currently 137cms in height and getting bigger by the day.
It is expected that our titan arum, which is housed in the Lowland Tropics House, will be of great interest to visitors. So, when it is in full bloom, and at its smelliest, the Garden will be open from 9am until 9pm.
Visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for details and to check its progress.
Botanics strengthens links with Nepal
Agreement strengthens 200 year relationship
A new era has dawned in collaborations between the UK and Nepal with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation Department of Plant Resources (DPR).
The agreement flags up a significant commitment to long-term capacity building in plant research, conservation and education in the South Asian biodiversity hot-spot.
While RBGE has connections in Nepal dating back to the early 1800’s, this is regarded as a distinctively fresh form of partnership. The deal was sealed when Mr Yam Bahadur Thapa, Director General of Nepal’s Department of Plant Resources, flew to Edinburgh to meet RBGE Regius Keeper Simon Milne MBE.
Looking forward to a number of imminent new initiatives including plans for a Biodiversity Education Garden to be built at Nepal’s National Botanic Garden, the two agreed the way was open for yet closer working ties.
Simon Milne said: “The connections between the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Nepal date back some 200 years and our working relationship is going from strength to strength. This accord underscores a common commitment to build on the strength of our past affiliation towards even more productive collaboration.
“We can look forward to new opportunities in developing appreciation, education, knowledge and conservation of the plant kingdom and protecting the natural capital that sustains us.”
Mr Thapa said: “King Mahendra was so impressed by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh when he visited in 1960 that he inaugurated Nepal’s first and only National Botanic Garden two years later. RBGE horticultural staff are out in Nepal at the moment giving much-needed training to my staff and we are looking forward to developing our partnership in the future.”
Dr Mark Watson, Head of Major Floras at RBGE and Editor-in-Chief of the international Flora of Nepal research programme explained the significance of the MOU: “Although it is a small country, Nepal has an enormous range of habitats and is home to some 7000 species of vascular plants, making it a globally-important biodiversity hot-spot.
“However, conservation and sustainable use of plant biodiversity is hampered by the lack of primary inventory information and means to identify and characterise species. This is exacerbated by a lack of trained people to undertake plant biodiversity inventory and documentation. Poor facilities, lack of equipment and limited funding also need to be addressed.
“The process is underway. RBGE has led several in-country workshops and hands-on training events. MSc and PhD training of Nepalese botanists at the University of Edinburgh and RBGE is proving a success and many more ambitious plans are in the pipeline.”
Click here for more information on RBGE’s Flora of Nepal research programme.
Here’s to the next 200 years!
Blooming great – Botanics shortlisted for Garden of the Year!
Can Botanics be voted Britain’s best?
It’s known and loved by thousands, but can the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) get enough votes to take the title of the best in Britain?
That is the challenge after hearing the news that our very own Botanics is a contender for the title “Garden of the Year” in the annual BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards. It’s the only Garden in Scotland to make the short list and ‘Botanics’ bosses are asking friends at home and abroad to come out and show their support by placing votes.
All votes must be cast by the January 31 and members of the public can make their mark by selecting their favourite garden – and 11 other categories, ranging from great heritage attractions to holiday destinations – by emailing awards@countryfile.com, by visiting the BBC Countryfile Magazine website at http://www.countryfile.com/article/garden-year-201415 or by post to BBC Countryfile Magazine, Tower House, Bristol, BS1 3BN.
Now in its fourth year, the high-profile award attracted more than 55,000 votes in 2014, when the accolade was claimed by RHS Wisley, Surrey. This year RBGE is up against four other world-renowned sites: The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall; Trentham Gardens, Stafford; Alnwick Garden, Northumbria and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in Surrey.
Welcoming the news that RBGE was in the running, Director of Enterprise Heather Jackson said: “This is a really good fun way to start the year. We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the award: and to be against such prestigious competition. It would be wonderful if our visitors and supporters would enter into the spirit of the event and take a few minutes to vote for us.”
The winner will be announced in the April issue of BBC Countryfile Magazine. Good luck, RBGE!
Night magic in the garden
The ‘Botanics Lights – Night in the Garden’ event has proved to be really popular – it’s now sold out.
I took the trail last night, and while the weather could have been kinder there it was a memorable experience – the Botanics is a mysterious and magical place at night.
Wildlife? Lots of drookit walkers but sadly no bats, badgers, owls or foxes – they wisely stayed indoors!
If you have a ticket for Botanic Lights – which ends on Sunday – you’re lucky; for those who won’t be going this time round, here are a few images:
Transplanted: music at the Botanics this Saturday
There’s music at the Botanics on Saturday afternoon:
Don’t miss Transplanted, a performance by string duo High Heels & Horse Hair (pictured below) which celebrates the rich diversity of Scotland’s plant life and its music.
In 1755 Scottish Baroque composer James Oswald published ‘Airs for the Seasons’, a remarkable compendium of 96 duos for violin and cello, each depicting a different plant or flower and written on a single side of paper. Inspired by these, and using the same criteria, eight of Scotland’s leading composers have written new miniatures exploring native plants and their many uses in society over the centuries.
Transplanted:
Saturday 18 October 2.30 pm — 4.30 pm
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Lecture Theatre, 20A Inverleith Row.
Price:£10 (£9 conc, £8 members)
Book via eventbrite – Click here to book
Donor memorial unveiled at Botanic Gardens
Commemorative space created in Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden
A new national memorial dedicated to Scotland’s organ and tissue donors has been officially opened by Public Health Minister Michael Matheson.
Situated in Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden, the public memorial will provide a lasting tribute to those Scots who saved or improved the lives of others by making the decision to donate their organs or tissue after death.
Scottish artist Alec Finlay created the memorial, working with donor families, transplant recipients and health professionals.
It features a dry-stane ‘taigh’ (Gaelic for ‘house’) with a turf-roof, which seals in a set of river stones. Buried under the foundations is a memorial book containing the first names of every organ and tissue donor between 2006 and late 2013. This ‘wilding garden’ is also home to two circle poems and a ‘font’ containing pebbles collected from beaches around Scotland.
Public Health Minister Michael Matheson visited the Scottish Government-funded memorial yesterday and met with donor families and transplant recipients involved in its development.
He said: “This memorial is a fitting tribute to the selfless generosity of organ and tissue donors and their families who, at a time of great tragedy, honour the wishes of their loved-ones. Through this act of kindness many lives are saved and it is right that this is marked through a public memorial.
“A very peaceful space has been created in this quiet corner of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, which offers people the opportunity to reflect on the remarkable gift of organ and tissue donation. I hope that everyone whose lives have been touched in some way by donation can find peace and solace by visiting this memorial.”
Alec Finlay (pictured with Minister, above) said: “Organ and tissue donation touches many people: as an act of giving that passes between the dead and the living, it speaks to our values as a culture. I’ve been touched and honoured to share the task with so many people, from surgeons, to families, to the artist collaborators and gardeners who helped make the final artwork.”
Simon Milne MBE, Regius Keeper, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said: “This is a very inspiring and thought provoking project. Alec Finlay’s remarkable memorial sits beautifully in a tranquil and contemplative part of the Garden in keeping with its purpose and symbolism. It is our hope that our visitors will be moved to reflect on what organ transplantation and donation means to the lives of so many people.”
At the memorial the Minister met with husband-and-wife, Sandra and Craig Warden, who donated their 11-year-old daughter Rachel’s organs and in doing so, saved three lives.
Sandra said: “Giving someone the gift of life is so very important. Having this national memorial, set within these beautiful gardens, recognises and remembers all those who provided that gift of life to others.
“This memorial is for the families of donors, for transplant recipients and anyone whose lives have been touched by donation and transplantation. From when she was very young, Rachel understood organ donation and made me promise we would donate her organs if anything ever happened to her and we fulfilled her wishes.”
Orchid extravaganza at The Botanics
Three in one: orchid extravaganza marks hat-trick at the Botanics
With a 344 year record of bringing exotic, rare and beautiful plants to Scotland, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) has witnessed some stunning sights.
But nothing has ever been quite on the scale of the 2,500 spectacular orchids now gracing the John Hope Gateway visitor centre. Sponsored by the Taipei Representative Office in the UK, Edinburgh Office, this awesome month-long display celebrates three significant anniversaries and highlights the Garden’s strong research and conservation links with Taiwan.
Tropical botanist Dr Mark Hughes, the man responsible for bringing the display to Edinburgh, explained: “This exhibition arrives at a particularly special time. Not only are we celebrating the 50th anniversary of our ‘new’ herbarium building – which holds our precious archive of three million preserved specimens – two other anniversaries collide: the 150th of the first specimen to reach us from Taiwan and the 50th anniversary of Taiwan’s designation of the plum blossom (Prunus mume) as its national flower.
“This orchid fair is not only a celebration of all these events, it is a significant public demonstration of an important partnership researching plant systematics in Southeast Asia”.
Running until 20 July this display of floricultural excellence is free to the public and will include additional family events at weekends throughout the four weeks.
Orchid Events coming up:
Sunday 6 July 1 – 4pm, John Hope Gateway
Chinese Flower Painting and Face Painting
Come along to learn about Chinese flower painting, and get your face painted. Free.
Friday 11 July 2pm, Patrick Geddes Room
Life in The Trees
Everything you wanted to know about orchids but were afraid to ask! Join Kerry Walter on his fabulous tour of the largest family of plants on earth, the orchids. What do they get up to when nobody’s watching? Come and find out! Free.
Sunday 13 July 1 – 4pm, Patrick Geddes Room
Tea ceremony & tea tasting
If you don’t know your oolong, you don’t know tea!. Come and join Denise Leishman as she explains how the climate and geography of Taiwan produce some of the finest teas in the world, and taste them as prepared by her expert hands. Learn how the tea ceremony still has a place in today’s culture, and discover the stories behind our tea-related gems in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s herbarium and archives. Free.
With Taiwan Floriculture Exports Association and the Taipei Representative Office in the UK, Edinburgh Office.
Botanic Gardens open late for midsummer celebration
The Botanics will open late this Saturday to celebrate midsummer with a series of free attractions and activities – and you can take part in a world record attempt too!
RBGE says:
Enjoy the Garden in the evening and help us celebrate trees at midsummer. Join an attempt to break the world record for tree hugging at 20:00 and help us calculate the environmental benefit of our tree collection by doing some tree measuring. We’ll also have live music and performances throughout the evening, plus The Scottish Poetry Library will be joining us offering opportunities to write, share and perform poems.
6.00pm Corroboree stilt performance (30mins)
6.45pm Aerial performance with Vision Mechanics (5 mins)
7.00pm Harp performance (30 mins)
7.45pm Aerial performance with Vision Mechanics (5 mins)
8.00pm Tree Hug World Record Attempt (1 min)
8.15pm Midsummer Poetry with the Scottish Poetry Library (45 mins)
9.15pm Corroboree stilt performance (30 mins)
PLUS:
– Free entry to Glasshouses from 6pm – 9.30pm (last entry 9pm)
– Corin Sworn exhibition at Inverleith House (open until 9.30pm)
– Food & refreshments available at the Terrace Cafe and East Gate Lodge
Don’t miss it!
Gardeners: a perennial favourite this Sunday
If you are looking for something extra special for your garden then why not visit The Botanic Gardens’ Plant Sale this Sunday (11 May)?
It’s your annual chance to purchase from an enviable collection of plants at truly wonderful prices, plus there’s the Connoisseurs Collection & Home Baking Stall too.
As well as finding something new for your garden, you’ll be helping the Friends of RBGE to raise much-needed funds – last year’s sales raised over £12,000 for RBGE’s research and conservation work.
The sale takes place at the RBGE nursery (Inverleith Avenue South) from 2 – 4pm. Admission £3, free to members.