THE Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) has confirmed its historic Palm Houses will reopen to the public in October following five years of restoration work to transform the A-listed landmark.
The reopening marks completion of a significant phase of the Edinburgh Biomes project, described as the ‘most ambitious restoration and development programme’ in the Garden’s history. While the oldest of the two Palm Houses dates to 1834, the newer, rectangular house retains the title of tallest traditional Palm House in the world.
More than 5,000 panes of glass have been created from bespoke templates that have been designed to withstand the impacts of climate change, with 600m² of repairs carried out to the original Georgian and Victorian iron structure to restore the Palm Houses to their former glory.
The refurbishment forms part of a wider £58 million investment in the Edinburgh Biomes programme and was supported by the Scottish Government. Over £10.6 million has been raised via philanthropic fundraising and a public appeal which also contributed £250,000.
Before restoration work could begin, the horticulture team removed 800 precious plant specimens. The majority were temporarily re-homed within the Garden’s other glasshouses, while replanting of the empty Palm Houses began earlier this year. Around 600 specimens – including plants endangered in the wild – will ultimately be returned, among them a stone gate palm (Trachycarpus princeps), standing over eight metres tall and believed to be the tallest of its kind in cultivation outside China.
Professor Julia Knights, Regius Keeper at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said, “I am thrilled to be reopening the world’s tallest traditional Palm House after five years of painstaking restoration with the support of the Scottish Government and our generous donors. As we fight to tackle climate change and nature loss, the reopening of the Palm Houses is a globally significant moment for Scotland and the world.
“As well as celebrating our Living Collection of plants – including those endangered in the wild – this moment also reflects our work as Scotland’s global scientific centre of excellence in plant science, horticulture, education and conservation.”
