Category: Edinburgh BotanicsPage 3 of 50
The word ‘herbaceous’ means that the plant has non-woody stems that reach their full height and produce flowers within one year. The plant will then die down over…
I was studying History and Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh with a focus on architectural archaeology. I had no idea how important the stories held in the stones of this unassuming cottage would become to me.
A Cottage Volunteer My Introduction to the Botanic Cottage The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has always had a special place in my heart, especially since my son proposed…
As a child one of the humorous stories I remember is of a lady rushing out to shovel up a pile of horse droppings as the dray horses…
Remembering the colours of the rainbow in the correct sequence is a memory challenged easily solved with this little rhyme ‘Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain’, giving…
The lawn is a wonderful thing; a living surface that acts as a foil to the plant collection. It serves as a meeting place for family gatherings and…
The rainbow symbol is used to represent peace, hope, joy, inclusion and diversity. During the current global health crisis created by the Covid-19 virus, it has also come…
Frequent, regular mowing. This maintains an even length of sward, preventing the coarser, vigorous grasses from dominating. Sharp, clean blades on a dry surface. Ideally, mow only on…
The primrose, Primula vulgaris, is one of the most evocative and widely-known heralds of spring. If you are lucky enough to know a wild place where this beautiful…
In early spring, even the smallest bloom is a cause for celebration. Narcissus also known as Daffodils are always the first to arrive in our gardens and what…
The regularly mown lawn is a worthy garden feature with borders chock full of plants and hedges in a garden a wildlife retreat is formed. A landing strip…
The rainbow symbol is used to represent peace, hope, joy, inclusion and diversity. During the current public health crisis, created by the Covid-19 virus, it has also come…
Tucked away in the upper woodland garden and easily missed is Magnolia sargentiana. Not as prolific a flowerer as Magnolia ‘Charles Raffill’, the flowers it does produce are…
Mid-March and the worst of the winter weather should be behind us. Now is an ideal time to plant an evergreen as the desiccating cold winds that are…
Have you been impressed with the carpets of Snowdrops seen in gardens open for the Scottish Snowdrop Festival? As the flowers fade, now is the time to lift…
Symphytum grandiflorum is to be found as an extensive patch of vegetation covering soil in the upper woodland garden. Neat and compact with an inflorescence of creamy white…
The majority of Primulas are rosette or clump growing herbaceous plants. Primula marginata differs. Take a look at the plant growing in the trough within the alpine area….
Travelling around Edinburgh the grass has a lushness usually associated with the month of March. Plant growth is advanced for this time of the year. This January has…
The garden becomes a feeding ground for the Grey Squirrel population as they discover the young shoots of emerging Crocus. The appetite is however for the brown corm…
Flowers set on bare branches are a delight in winter, but there are also some evergreen plants that flower. They are a great comfort to the soul during…