News from the gardening world
Scotland’s premier garden launches greenhouse revamp proposal
Glasshouse facilities at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) could be completely transformed in a landmark proposal. The new vision, dubbed the Edinburgh Biomes project, would see existing greenhouses, such as the iconic Grade A-listed Victorian palm house and the 1960s visitor and research glasshouses, repaired and refurbished, and new structures erected to house the garden’s collection of more than 13,500 tender plant species.
The draft proposals will also bring together RBGE’s research, horticulture, education and operational facilities, as well as providing a spectacular new visitor experience for the public.
“Our research glasshouses, critical for the work we do in Scotland and around the world, are well beyond their lifespan and are already suffering during extreme weather,” said Simon Milne, RBGE Regius Keeper. “As the seasons pass, the risks are increasing, so prompt action is necessary.”
First to be introduced would be an eco-friendly and sustainable energy centre, complete with ground source heat pumps, which with other measures, would reduce the carbon footprint of the glasshouses by 12 per cent. A state-of-the-art plant health suite would also provide a safe propagation environment as the spectre of accidental introduction of alien pests and diseases increases.
The Scottish Government has provided funds to take the project to planning permission and if successful, and fundraising is secured, the Biomes project would be phased over several years to enable the plant collections to be re-homed while work is going on.
For more information visit www.rbge.org.uk/ edinburghbiomes.