RGB Edinburgh Rock Garden

Built in the 1860's, the RBG Edinburgh Rock Garden was created to maintain its ever growing collection of alpine plants, and has remained one of the world's best. The idea of a rock garden was a new concept in gardening, and much praise was lauded on the RBGE upon its creation.

The garden has gone through several redesigns, and has perpetually grown as more introductions have been made by famous plant collecters like the Scotsman George Forrest, who returned from China with many new species including Meconopsis, dwarf Rhododendrons, and rare Primulas.

Water has always been a feature in the RBGE's Rock Garden, with ponds and streams running throughout. The gardened habitats have been restricted to the edges of the water, which are planted with marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris), purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), large Parrotia persica (from northern Iran), and much more.

The rock garden also provides the highest point in the garden which yields unparalleled views of the Edinburgh skyline. The combination of the cityscape with the backdrop running water surrounded by of 5000 plants from the worlds mountainous, arctic, and rocky Mediterranean climates creates quite an inspiring moment for any garden visitor.

Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh

During my first week in Edinburgh, I had the privilege of joining the team of gardeners at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh. My work consisted of mostly traditional gardening tasks, however, most of the tasks were in preparation for a royal visit (from the Queen!). Probably the most exciting of these tasks included felling a large tree that decided it didn't want to live anymore. It was amazing how much of the tree would go through the gigantic, loud, obnoxious wood chipper (American made of course!). It was quite a sight to behold watching this metal beast devouring a poor dead tree.

At many points during a work day, I would have the luxury of stepping away from work to take photos when the weather turned salubrious. Strolling through the garden was the best way to discover some of the RBG Edinburgh's most memorable features including the glass houses, the alpine house and gardens, the extensive Rhododendron collections, the woodland garden, the Chinese hillside, and much more. At certain points along my strolls through the garden, I could catch breathtaking views of Old Town, which only added to the charm of plant collections.

As a student, I also took part in a tour through the herbarium and research greenhouses, where I was able to observe specimen from notable collecters such as George Forrest, E. H. Wilson, and Darwin. The research glasshouses held equally fascinating material, including one of the largest and most important collections of Vireya Rhododendrons in the world.

It was truly and amazing few weeks working at the RBG Edinburgh, much thanks to Martyn Dickson and the garden staff for making me feel so welcome.

Edinburgh Castle