A New Year at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Happy New Year and welcome to our January e-newsletter, keeping you up-to-date on the best things to do in the Garden this month, plus a taster of the exciting year ahead for the Botanics…

Coming this year...

The John Hope Gateway

2009 promises to be a landmark year for the Botanics as RBGE’s new biodiversity and information centre opens in summer. Find out more about this exciting development...

Gardening the Earth: Gateways to a Sustainable Future

This highly anticipated book by RBGE’s Regius Keeper, Prof Stephen Blackmore, explores the environmental challenges the Earth faces, possible scenarios for the future and steps that can be taken to create a positive future. Supplemented with personal vignettes, Prof Blackmore reflects on how he came into botany and the various career paths he has taken.

Visit our website to pre-order your copy.

The Benmore Fernery

Opening in summer, the beautifully restored Victorian Fernery at Benmore will give visitors the chance to see rare exotic and native ferns in a unique historic setting.

January events

Close

Until 11 January

Photographer Allan Pollok-Morris takes visitors on a journey documenting contemporary Scottish heritage in works by garden designers, architects, plants people and artists within the country's varied landscape.

See exhibition details on our website.
 

Two Voices III

Until 8 February

This exhibition at Inverleith House features colour photographs of horticulture in action at RBGE taken by artist Rosita McKenzie, who is blind. She was assisted by Camilla Adams.

See exhibition details on our website.
 

Not His Now: Inscriptions, Bookplates and Annotations in RBGE Library Books

6 – 30 January

This exhibition opens the covers of a selection of RBGE Library books to find out a little bit about who owned them before they reached RBGE, and how previous owners marked their ownership.

See exhibition details on our website.
 

Champion Tree Treasure Hunt

Sun 11 January, 12 noon – 3pm

The Garden’s tree collection includes many ‘Champion’ trees which are the largest of their kind. Use the names of some of the Champions to locate the treasure.

See event details on our website.

Island Treasures

Sat 17 January, 11am

Join our Garden Guides on a tour of the Glasshouses. Find out why islands are among the most important biodiversity banks in the world. Hear the tales of plant explorers and their brushes with the unexpected in their quest for the unusual.

Tickets £4. See event details on our website.

Naked Trees

Sun 18 January, 1pm – 3pm

Find out why tree leaves change colour and why they lose their leaves in winter. Have a go at measuring the height of a tree with nothing more than a piece of cardboard!

See event details on our website.
 

Dreams on Wheels

24 January – 21 March

Denmark has a unique cycling culture providing an inspiration for all those interested in greener transport systems. This exhibition promotes urban cycling by presenting innovative Danish-designed bicycles and city cycle routes.

See exhibition details on our website.

Real Life Science – Plant Hunter

Sat 24 January, 12 noon – 3pm

Plant collecting is an important part of studying the world’s plants. Find out what information botanists collect and go on your own mini plant collecting expedition.

See event details on our website.
 

Chinese New Year Plant Trail

Sat 31 January, 1pm – 3pm

Follow a trail through the Garden to find out about some of our Chinese plants. Be inspired by them to get creative and make beautiful Chinese decorations to take home.

See event details on our website.
 

Courses and workshops - places still available

Weekend Workshops

Botanical Art Masterclass 3 – Lizzie Sanders
Sat 17 – Sun 18 Jan, 10am – 4pm, £100 / £90

Certificate in Practical Horticulture Unit 9 – Propagation by Grafting
Sat 24 Jan, 10am – 4pm, £50 / £45

The Simple Art of Meditation
Sat 31 Jan, 10am – 4pm, £40 / £36

Care of Orchids and House Plants
Sat 14 Feb, 10am – 4pm, £45 / £41.50

Moss Identification Level 2
Sun 15 Feb, 10am – 4pm, £45 / £41.50

Botanical Art Masterclass 4 – Lizzie Sanders
Sat 21 – Sun 22 Feb, 10am – 4pm, £100 / £90

Uncovering Evolution (Phylogenetics for Beginners)
Sat 21 Feb, 10am – 4pm, £40

Green Your Garden
Sat 28 Feb, 10am – 4pm, £45 / £41.50

10 Week Classes

Foliage, Watercolour and Landscape I
Mondays 12 Jan – 23 March, 1.30-4.30pm, £100 / £90

Foliage, Watercolour and Landscape II
Mondays 12 Jan – 23 March, 9.30am – 12.30pm, £100 / £90

Paper Sculpture and Watercolour
Mondays 12 Jan – 23 March, 6.30-9pm, £100 / £90

Beginning Botanical Art
Mondays 12 Jan – 23 March, 6.30-9pm, £90 / £80

Medicine from Trees
Tuesdays 13 Jan - 26 March, 10am – 12.30pm, £120 / £108

Beginning Botany
Wednesdays 28 Jan – 25 March, 7-9pm, £70 / £63

Garden History
Thursdays 15 Jan – 21 May, 6.30-9pm, £180 / £162

Snowdrop Conference

20 February

Book now for the 2009 Snowdrop Conference hosted by RBGE and Cambo Estate. The conference includes an impressive line-up of speakers, guided tours, an exhibition by the Scottish Rock Garden Club, plant stalls and lunch.

Registration fee £35. See conference details on our website.