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PlantNetwork > DIRECTORY of Botanical Collections in Britain and Ireland > Index

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Last updated: Feb 2005
Address: 20a Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, Lothian, EH3 5LR
Tel: 0131 552 7171
Fax: 0131 2482901
email: postmaster@rbge.org.uk
web address: rbge.org.uk
Latitude: 55° 57'57''N
Longitude: 3° 12'12''W

BACKGROUND TO THE COLLECTION
Year Founded: 1670
Ownership: Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Garden code: E
Umbrella organisation: Botanic Gardens Conservation International, PlantNetwork institutional

PERSONNEL
Regius Keeper: Professor Stephen Blackmore
Director of Horticulture: Dr David Rae

Contact person: Dr David Rae
Total Staff: 200
Total Horticultural Staff: 85

POLICIES
Accessions Yes, apply to Curator
Collections Yes, apply to Curator

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Altitude: 20-40 m
Soil type: Sand, acid
Aspect: Varied
Total area: 32 ha
Area heated: 1.5ha
Other sites of collection: Dawyck Botanic Garden, Logan Botanic Garden, Younger (Benmore) Botanic Garden

WEATHER RECORDS Records kept
Temperature:
Average daily: 9.2 °C
Av. monthly max: 17.8 °C
Av. monthly min: -0.2 °C
Absolute maximum 30 °C
Absolute minimum -15.5 °C
Wind:
direction West
strength: Above average (7.76)
Rainfall
Average annual 686 mm (439-931)
Month of maximum October (2.58 mm/day)
Month of minimum April (1.45 mm/day)

PLANT COLLECTION
Families 330
Genera 2 675
Species 12 564
Taxa 15 619
Accessions 25 746
Plants 36 447 (Plant records, not individuals)
Notable plants within the collection

Geographical area of specialisation
Northern Europe, Southeastern Europe, Southern Africa, Arabian Peninsula, China, Eastern Asia, Indian Subcontinent, S.E.Asia, Indo-China, Malesia, Caribbean, Western South America, Brazil, Southern South America
Special families within the collections
Araucariaceae, Cephalotaxaceae, Cupressaceae, Phyllocladaceae, Pinaceae, Podocarpaceae, Sciadopityaceae, Taxaceae, Taxodiaceae. Aceraceae, Berberidaceae, Betulaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Ericaceae, Escalloniaceae, Fagaceae, Gentianaceae, Grossulariaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Hydrangeaceae, Musaceae, Oleaceae, Orchidaceae, Primulaceae, Rapateaceae, Rosaceae, Ruscaceae, Saxifragaceae, Umbelliferae.
Special genera within the collections
All conifers, Abelia, Arisaema, Astilbe, Berberis, Bergenia, Gentiana, Lonicera, Primula, Rhododendron, Ribes, Rodgersia,
Special collections Scottish flora,

Cryptogamic garden,

Phenological Garden Daily (2002); Weekly (2005); International Phenological Garden (2007); Rhododendron (2008); Poplar clones (2007)
Records of living collection Kept since Computerised since 1968
Record System BG-Base
Plant-collecting trips International plant-collecting trips

FACILITIES ON SITE
Herbarium Approximately 2 000 000 wild collected & cultivated specimens. Code E in Index Herbariorum
Library 75 000 items, 150 000 journal volumes, 40 000 slides, 100 000 archive items. Public access by appointment
Research facilities General biological laboratories, molecuylar laboratories, cryopreservation, sub-cellular microscopy, seed banking, molecular
Publications Garden catalogue, garden guides, List of publications available. Catalogue on Internet.
Edinburgh Journal of Botany,
The Botanics,
Sibbaldia
Identifications: Undertakes free identifications for the general public. Internal verification of material
Teaching and Education: Primary, secondary, higher, taxonomic, public education, special courses. MSc in Taxonomy and Biodiversity of plants and Fungi. HND Horticulture with plantsmanship.
Interpretation of the material: Supervised garden walks, signs, brochures, guided trails
Friends Organisation: Yes

Visitor facilities: Restaurant, café, plant shop, gift shop

ACCESS TO THE COLLECTIONS
Public access to the collections: Free access to all outdoor areas of the gardens.
£3.50 charge for entry to all glasshouses
Number of visitors per year: 812 574
Public opening hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-7pm summer, to 6pm spring and autumn, to 4pm in winter
Sat: 10am-7pm summer, to 6pm spring and autumn, to 4pm in winter
Sun: 10am-7pm summer, to 6pm spring and autumn, to 4pm in winter

GUIDING PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE COLLECTION
To document, display and scientifically interpret global plant and fungal diversity, thereby enhancing our knowledge of plant biology, evolution, conservation, habitats and sustainable utilisation for the long-term benefit of humanity.
Numbers for the whole of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, including the other three sites of Dawyck Botanic Garden, Logan Botanic Garden, and Younger (Benmore) Botanic Garden.
Families:337.
Genera: 2738.
– Species: 13 753.
– Taxa: 18 059.
Accessions: 34 902.
Plants: 66 242 (Plant records)

PlantNetwork > DIRECTORY of Botanical Collections in Britain and Ireland > Index

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Last updated: Feb 2005
Address:	20a Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, Lothian, EH3 5LR Tel: 0131 552 7171 Fax: 0131 2482901 email: postmaster@rbge.org.uk web address: rbge.org.uk Latitude: 55° 57'57''N Longitude: 3° 12'12''W
BACKGROUND TO THE COLLECTION
Year Founded:	1670
Ownership:	Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Garden code:	E
Umbrella organisation:	Botanic Gardens Conservation International, PlantNetwork institutional
PERSONNEL
Regius Keeper:	Professor Stephen Blackmore
Director of Horticulture:	Dr David Rae

Contact person:	Dr David Rae
Total Staff:	200
Total Horticultural Staff:	85
POLICIES
Accessions	Yes, apply to Curator
Collections	Yes, apply to Curator
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Altitude:	20-40 m
Soil type:	Sand, acid
Aspect:	Varied
Total area:	32 ha
Area heated:	1.5ha
Other sites of collection:	Dawyck Botanic Garden, Logan Botanic Garden, Younger (Benmore) Botanic Garden
WEATHER RECORDS	Records kept
Temperature:
Average daily:	9.2 °C
Av. monthly max:	17.8 °C
Av. monthly min:	-0.2 °C
Absolute maximum	30 °C
Absolute minimum	-15.5 °C
Wind:
direction	West
strength:	Above average (7.76)
Rainfall
Average annual	686 mm (439-931)
Month of maximum	October (2.58 mm/day)
Month of minimum	April (1.45 mm/day)
PLANT COLLECTION
Families	330
Genera	2 675
Species	12 564
Taxa	15 619
Accessions	25 746
Plants	36 447 (Plant records, not individuals)
Notable plants within the collection

Geographical area of specialisation
	Northern Europe, Southeastern Europe, Southern Africa, Arabian Peninsula, China, Eastern Asia, Indian Subcontinent, S.E.Asia, Indo-China, Malesia, Caribbean, Western South America, Brazil, Southern South America
Special families within the collections
	Araucariaceae, Cephalotaxaceae, Cupressaceae, Phyllocladaceae, Pinaceae, Podocarpaceae, Sciadopityaceae, Taxaceae, Taxodiaceae. Aceraceae, Berberidaceae, Betulaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Ericaceae, Escalloniaceae, Fagaceae, Gentianaceae, Grossulariaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Hydrangeaceae, Musaceae, Oleaceae, Orchidaceae, Primulaceae, Rapateaceae, Rosaceae, Ruscaceae, Saxifragaceae, Umbelliferae.
Special genera within the collections
	All conifers, Abelia, Arisaema, Astilbe, Berberis, Bergenia, Gentiana, Lonicera, Primula, Rhododendron, Ribes, Rodgersia,
Special collections	Scottish flora, Cryptogamic garden,
Phenological Garden	Daily (2002); Weekly (2005); International Phenological Garden (2007); Rhododendron (2008); Poplar clones (2007)
Records of living collection	Kept since Computerised since 1968
Record System	BG-Base
Plant-collecting trips	International plant-collecting trips
FACILITIES ON SITE
Herbarium	Approximately 2 000 000 wild collected & cultivated specimens. Code E in Index Herbariorum
Library	75 000 items, 150 000 journal volumes, 40 000 slides, 100 000 archive items. Public access by appointment
Research facilities	General biological laboratories, molecuylar laboratories, cryopreservation, sub-cellular microscopy, seed banking, molecular
Publications	Garden catalogue, garden guides, List of publications available. Catalogue on Internet. Edinburgh Journal of Botany, The Botanics, Sibbaldia
Identifications:	Undertakes free identifications for the general public. Internal verification of material
Teaching and Education:	Primary, secondary, higher, taxonomic, public education, special courses. MSc in Taxonomy and Biodiversity of plants and Fungi. HND Horticulture with plantsmanship.
Interpretation of the material:	Supervised garden walks, signs, brochures, guided trails
Friends Organisation:	Yes
Visitor facilities:	Restaurant, café, plant shop, gift shop
ACCESS TO THE COLLECTIONS
Public access to the collections:	Free access to all outdoor areas of the gardens. £3.50 charge for entry to all glasshouses Number of visitors per year: 812 574
Public opening hours:	Mon-Fri: 10am-7pm summer, to 6pm spring and autumn, to 4pm in winter Sat: 10am-7pm summer, to 6pm spring and autumn, to 4pm in winter Sun: 10am-7pm summer, to 6pm spring and autumn, to 4pm in winter
GUIDING PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE COLLECTION
	To document, display and scientifically interpret global plant and fungal diversity, thereby enhancing our knowledge of plant biology, evolution, conservation, habitats and sustainable utilisation for the long-term benefit of humanity. Numbers for the whole of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, including the other three sites of Dawyck Botanic Garden, Logan Botanic Garden, and Younger (Benmore) Botanic Garden. Families:337. Genera: 2738. – Species: 13 753. – Taxa: 18 059. Accessions: 34 902. Plants: 66 242 (Plant records)