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BGCI > Garden

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

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United Kingdom - City of Edinburgh - Edinburgh

Institution Code: E

BGCI Member: Yes

RBGE Temperate Palm House
RBGE Temperate Palm House

About the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a Non Departmental Public Body established under the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985, principally funded by the Scottish Executive. It is also a registered charity, managed by a Board of Trustees who are appointed by Ministers. Its mission is to “explore and explain the world of plants for a better future” and its primary functions are as a centre of scientific and horticultural excellence, keeper of the national collections and promoter of science in the public domain.

The four Gardens of RBGE - Edinburgh, Benmore, Dawyck and Logan - comprise the National Botanic Gardens of Scotland and are numbered among the most popular visitor attractions in Scotland, bringing together many inter-related cultural areas of activity.

Main Address:
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
20A Inverleith Row
Edinburgh
City of Edinburgh EH3 5LR United Kingdom

Telephone: 44 (0)131 552 7171
Fax: 44 (0)131 248 2901
URL: www.rbge.org.uk
Primary Email: info@rbge.org.uk

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: Simon Milne
    Curator's Name: David Knott
    Plant Records Officer's Name: Robert Cubey
  • Total Staff:
    Horticultural Staff Number: 85
    Educational Staff Number: 10
    Research Staff Number: 80
    Administration Staff Number: 30

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: Private: No
    Status: State: Yes
    Status: Educational: Yes
  • Date founded: 1670
  • Physical Data
  • Natural Vegetation Area: No
  • Landscaped Area: Yes
    Landscaped Area: Size: 32 Hectares
  • Total Area: 32 Hectares
    Latitude: 55.965367
    Longitude: -3.209172
    Annual Rainfall: 637 mm
    Altitude: 20.00 Metres
    Total area of glasshouses: 150 Metres
    Total area of shadehouses: 500 Metres
  • Additional Locations
  • Satellite Garden Names: Benmore Botanic Garden Logan Botanic Garden Dawyck Botanic Garden

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: Yes
    Herbarium: Number of Specimens: 3000000
    Arboretum: Yes
    Arboretum Size: 5
  • Micropropagation/ Tissue Culture Facilities: Yes
    Seed Bank: Yes
    Published Plant Catalogue: Yes
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: Yes
    Friends society: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Shop: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: Yes
    Disabled access: Yes
  • Number of Visitors: 800000
    Number of Volunteers: 70

Plant Collections

  • Accession Number: 24988
    Cultivation Taxa Num: 14781
  • Special Collections:Campanulaceae
    Cactaceae
    Compositae
    Crassulaceae
    Ericaceae
    Geraniaceae
    Gesneriaceae
    Iridaceae
    Labiatae
    Leguminosae
    Liliaceae
    Orchidaceae
    Pinaceae
    Podocarpaceae
    Primulaceae
    Ranunculaceae
    Rosaceae
    Saxifragaceae
    Scrophulariacaeae
    Umbelliferae
    ZingiberaceaeThe International Conifer Conservation Programme (ICCP), ad-hoc conservation collection in the collection (see publication Sibbaldia No.1 44-80)

    Plants for the UK Biodiversity action plans i.e. Woodsia ilvensis (Oblong Woodsia)

    Research collection for the taxonomic and systematics undertaken in the garden.
  • Invasive Species Monitoring: Yes
    Invasive Species Policy: Yes
    ABS Policy: Yes
    Plant Collection Policy: Yes

Conservation Programmes

  • Conservation Programme: Yes
    Medicinal Plant Programme: No
    Ex Situ Conservation Programme: Yes
    Reintroduction Programme: Yes

Research Programmes

  • Conservation - Biology: Yes
    Conservation - Genetics: Yes
    Data Management Systems and Information Technology: Yes
    Ecology: Yes
    Ecosystem Conservation: Yes
    Education: Yes
    Ethnobotany: Yes
    Exploration: Yes
    Floristics: Yes
    Horticulture: Yes
    Invasive Species Biology and Control: Yes
    Molecular Genetics: Yes
    Pollination Biology: Yes
    Restoration Ecology: Yes
    Seed/Spore Biology: Yes
    Systematics and Taxonomy: Yes
    Urban Environments: Yes

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: Yes
    Education Signs in Garden: Yes
    Public Lectures/Talks: Yes
    Education Booklets/Leaflets: Yes
    Guided Tours: Yes
    Permanent Public Displays: Yes
    Special Exhibitions: Yes
    Courses for School Children: Yes
    Courses for University/College Students: Yes
    Courses for General Public: Yes
    Education Programme: Yes
 

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