Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (UK)


European Garden Award 2016 – 2nd Preis

 

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) was founded in the 17th century as a physic garden. Comprising more than 28 hectares of stunning scenery, just a stone’s throw from the city centre, it captures the imagination of everyone who visits: from the knowledgeable gardener to the curious sightseer.

Highlights include the largest collection of wild-origin Chinese plants outside China, the Scottish Heath Garden, the Rock Garden, which is home to over 5,000 alpine plants and the stunning 165m-long Herbaceous Border, backed by an outstanding century-old Beech Hedge. Opened in the summer of 2006 is the Queen Mother’s Memorial Garden.

The magnificent Victorian Temperate Palm House offers visitors the opportunity to explore ten distinct climatic zones. During the entire year the garden hosts a number of events, such as concerts, cinema nights and a light show “Botanic Lights” which was somehow inspired by the illumine at Schloss Dyck too. The Botanic Cottage is simultaneously the newest and oldest building in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. It is an inspirational hub for community and education activities. The Botanic Cottage originally stood at the entrance to a long lost incarnation of the Botanics, across the city. It was built in 1764 and moved recently stone by stone across Edinburgh, rebuilt and finished so that it looks as good as it did 250 years ago. It is the new core of the Demonstration Garden, where schools, students and community groups have plots.

RBGE is committed to lifelong learning and international capacity building. It provides a diverse range of formal and informal education programmes, including online programmes, for people of all ages and at all levels … from primary school to PhD, amateur or professional.

We are proud that the Botanic Garden also joined our application for European funding to explore the links between cities and the landscape.

Link to the website of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh