Key facts
- The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) has reopened its palm houses after a five-year restoration.
- The refurbishment cost £23.5 million and replaced 5,750 glass panels with toughened glass.
- The restored glasshouses aim to protect the garden's plant collection from severe weather.
- Previously, storms caused glass panels to fall, damaging plants and leading to closures.
- The garden was founded in 1670 and is the second oldest botanic garden in Britain.
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) has reopened its historic palm houses following a five-year, £23.5 million refurbishment aimed at protecting its valuable plant collection from the harsh Scottish climate. The restoration replaced 5,750 glass panels with toughened glass, designed to withstand severe weather that previously led to plant damage and safety concerns.
According to Sadie Barber, the glasshouse curator, falling glass from the weathered structures has previously decapitated plants and forced closures during storms. "You go into one of these tropical spaces in winter and there’s icy air coming in. It’s traumatic for those of us who put decades into caring for these plants. A storm can literally just wipe them out," Barber said.
Prof Julia Knights, RBGE's regius Keeper and CEO, officially opened the restored palm houses, which now house over 600 temperate plants. The refurbishment maintained much of the original sandstone and wrought iron shell, creating a "vast cathedral-like space for temperate plants." The garden, founded in 1670 by two physicians, is the second oldest botanic garden in Britain and is a significant global center for plant biodiversity and conservation.
Despite the successful restoration of the palm houses, many other glasshouses at the 356-year-old institution are decades past their intended lifespan and require upgrades. Leaks and high winds continue to pose risks to the plant collections and staff. Last year, horticulturalists were unable to access greenhouses for 20 days due to high winds, and in 2026, they have already been shut out 15 times, often requiring safety gear to clear broken glass.