This marks the fourth Botanical Garden we have visited on this trip. They have progressively been a bit larger, a bit better, each time. The one in Edinburgh was amazing. Officially, it is the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh and has a rich history. After the upheaval and stress of coming up with alternative accommodations, it was quite heavenly to wander without a schedule or place to be. We spent a full five hours there and it seemed to fly by. Easy to do when you are wandering over 70 acres.
The first day we had to explore in Edinburgh, we booked tickets for Edinburgh Castle. The weather was stunning and if we planned to be walking outside on the grounds of a castle, hoping for clear views from high up there, we should jump at the chance. We were, however, curious about the Botanical Garden and it was very close to our ‘saving grace’ rental. Because it offers free entrance with donations welcome, we thought we could “pop in” to get a feel for it with plans to go back another day. We had no idea what we were about to discover. Glorious weather with a quick walk across the garden, west gate to east gate, was such as tease. We really didn’t want to leave (and in hind sight… well, read the castle post). So we went back the next day.
Wow, Wow, Wow
We entered from the east gate. Right off the bat, you understand their approach. There is a spongy mat at the gate with signage that asks you to carefully walk on and stand with both feet before entering. The spongy mat contains disinfectant so you don’t carry in or out anything that might not be healthy for plants. This gets you thinking right away about our relationship to plants and plants the seed (pun, intended) about the idea of stewardship and care. I loved it.
We wandered through all the areas we could on what is the southeast half of the gardens. There are paved paths but also dirt paths. And in many areas you just walk on the lawn areas, too. It is so different than in the states where walking on grass is usually taboo. In fact, when I think about the things I love from photos of British gardens, it is that the pathways between the planted areas are grassy and not paved as they often are in the States.
Almost everything seemed to be labeled, which is quite an achievement. There were groupings of plant from parts of the world, and also by habitat they prefer. It was just stunning and we, yes we – not just me but Trev, too – took tons of photos. Many of the tall trees in the garden were planted as far back as 350 years ago. Some are absolutely enormous.
We wandered through the Organ and Tissue Donor Memorial, which was quite poignant, and then through the Rock Garden and Stream, the upper and lower woodland areas, and the Chinese Pavilion. The history and quantity of the plants here is striking. Trev read later in one of the exhibits two impressive and staggering statistics:
- The Edinburgh site contains 7% of all known flora on the planet
- This site contains the largest collection of plants anywhere in the world.
This site is one of four that make up a collection of sites working together. Due to the location and climates of the other sites, combined with use of glasshouses (i.e. greenhouses), they can grow pretty much any plant one wants. There is clearly research going on. Signage clearly showed where areas were left to see what was going to happen in terms of genetics and flower color, succession, recovery of a downed tree, etc. They are clearly assessing impacts of climatic change. It is all so amazing.
John Hope Gateway
At the western gate of the Garden (Botanics, as it seems to be known locally) is a fully green building. We stopped there midway through our visit for a break. Even though we only had cake, well cakes, and coffee, they had a substantial menu with some pretty nice looking salads and meals. They have, naturally, a garden that supplies produce for a gorgeous menu. It is enough that we may be enticed back for another walk and lunch during our second week in Edinburgh before heading south.
It was in this Gateway building that we found two very cool exhibits. Well, one was a curated exhibit in a side space. It featured botanical illustrations done in the early to mid 1800’s by Indian artists during British occupation. Per the interpretive material, a doctor in India commissioned the illustrations. Sadly, and maybe a reflection of colonialism, the artists that did many of the illustrations are unknown. It was engrossing really.
The other exhibit may be a permanent are of information and interpretation. That is where we discovered the above data on the scope of the collection. The highlight for me was the display under glass bells of examples of every plant family on earth. Again, this place is amazing. The depth of what is happening here really does echo the 350 year history and a serious focus.
I also thought an information panel on the strategies employed for the building as a fully on its own green building was inspiring. From its orientation, to passive solar gain, wind and solar energy, and thoughts about water use and waste stream, it serves as it should as a model for what is possible. We both got our museum-like fix here before venturing out to explore the more or less northwest half of the garden.
The Old Beech Hedge
This is likely the most excited we’ve ever been about a hedge. And certainly the most I’ve ever thought or written about one. Constructed, or maybe ‘grown’ is the more appropriate word, of beech, it is massive. Even though the photos help you grasp the scope, I think you have to see it to believe it. So, very, cool. I couldn’t resist looking up information on it. The stats are that it was planted in 1906 with around 200 beech trees of which a little over 150 remain. It is 8 meters high and 165 meters long, providing a frame for lovely herbaceous flower beds that stretch that same length.
You walk through, or under, that hedge to access maybe one of our favorite areas. The native woodland was pretty lovely but the demonstration gardens were fabulous. (I’m running out of superlatives to describe this place.) We found greenhouses with vegetables growing, herb gardens, wildflower beds left to grow as they’d like, and more orderly areas of vegetables and flowers. The weather was great, the breeze gentle, the sun shining. Honestly, I hated to leave that space, but we had to start meandering our way to the exit. Work was calling. Hopefully this gallery of photos do it justice.
Biomes
On the way out we went by the Glasshouses area. We learned it was closed as they are undertaking a massive Biomes project. It is in the third year of its planned seven years. The completion date goal is in late 2027. The historically significant glasshouses were built in 1834 and 1856 (with additional ones built in the 1960’s). I think I’ve seen pictures of these places but didn’t realize this is where they are. They are called the palm houses and are undergoing a major restoration. What shocked me was that, per the signage, all the plants had to be removed, all 800-ish plants and that it is the first time they’ve been empty since they were built almost 200 years ago. This is a monumental project.
It occurs to me that if someone asked me what was the one place they should visit if they were in Edinburgh for one day, I would say without hesitation the Botanical Garden. It is possible to see the Edinburgh castle up on the hill from locations around the city but it is far from any kind of intimate experience. This garden is something so very special.
