Inside £20m restoration of Edinburgh Botanic Garden's historic Palm Houses

Edinburgh Botanic Gardens are to reopen its historic Victorian palm houses after a five-year restoration.

Upgrades to the structure were part of a £20m refurbishment to combat harsh winters and protect rare and endangered plant species.

It took more than 5,000 glass panels and the careful handling of hundreds of priceless plants by a dedicated team to bring the Victorian glass houses back to life.

Director of horticulture David Knott told STV News: “On many of the plants, the tree ferns especially, you can see they are beginning to form new growth; that’s always a good sign. The team and I are relieved to see that new growth starting.

“It’s even more important for the people of Edinburgh and Scotland to get the opportunity to come to see plants, our ethos and much of the work we do here.”

More than 5,000 glass panels were upgraded STV News

The palm houses first opened in the 1800s to house the garden’s vast collection of tropical plants.

In its newly restored form, the glass houses will continue to provide shelter for species at risk of extinction from across 152 countries.

Examples include the Three Kings vine (Tecomanthe speciosa) from New Zealand, one of the rarest plants in the world, and the Catkin yew (Amentotaxus argotaenia), a critically endangered conifer. The protection of these plants reflects the wider work of the Garden to preserve critical biodiversity for generations to come.

Professor Julia Knights, regius keeper at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, says it was a “truly historic” moment.

The palm houses are home to hundreds of scientifically important plants STV News

More than 600 scientifically important plants can be found in the palm houses STV News

She said: “We are working at pace to tackle the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change, and to save species from extinction in partnership with institutions and scientists from across the globe.

“The next phase of this vital work will transform our Research Glasshouses to protect 3,000 more priceless plants, some of which are now extinct in the wild, and all of which are key in driving forward our globally leading work in scientific discovery, conservation, and horticultural innovation.”

The opening was marked by the planting of the endangered lion plant (Valdivia gayana) from Chile.

Professor Knights said: “Our botanist found this plant in a cave in Chile and, joining with our Chilean partners, we took seeds from it, brought it back here to the Botanics and propagated en-masse.

“We’ve now grown a raft of it here in the palm house, and are taking seeds back to Chile so it can be planted in many places and hopefully save it from extinction.”

The restoration work was supported by investment from the Scottish Government and a fundraising campaign, with over £10.6m raised from major donors including The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Gillian Martin MSP said: “For generations the iconic Palm Houses at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh have inspired visitors from Scotland and around the world. The restoration of these heritage glasshouses helps to safeguard the globally important plant collections here for the future, ensuring vital work in conservation, education and scientific discovery can continue.

“At a time when the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change are being felt around the world, the work undertaken at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to save species from extinction is critical. The reopening of the Palm Houses is a powerful reminder of the value of investing in our natural and cultural heritage, and I congratulate everyone involved in this extraordinary restoration project.”