Royal Botanic Gardens (Edinburgh)

The Edinburgh botanic garden can trace its roots back to 1670 and is one of the city’s most popular attractions, especially for families seeking the quiet life. It houses a living collection of over 15,000 plants which makes up around 5% of all known plant species in the world. It is a 30 hectare oasis of lush greenery and a tranquil haven from the noise of the usual Edinburgh city break, making it a great place to relax, walk or have a picnic, even for people with no horticultural interest at all.

 

 

Entrance is free, so there is no excuse to miss it out on a short break in Edinburgh. First stop for real green fingered visitors should be the herbarium which houses two million specimens of preserved plants from the 17th century up to the present day. The Victorian era built Palm Houses are huge and more impressive than those at Kew Gardens and do not miss the spectacular rock garden, the Alpine House and courtyard and the Chinese Collection. The ‘Botanics’ as it is affectionately known, has the world’s largest collection of Chinese plant species outside China itself.

 

 

The West Gate is the focus of most visitor attractions and facilities and includes a gift shop, cafe and stately Inverleith House which is used for exhibitions and lectures. There are educational programs especially for children here each weekend and during the school holidays. It is the ideal place for woodland walks and bird watching and if you have an interest in all things green, why not join in one of the daily garden walks conducted by a professional guide which can also be combined with afternoon tea. Summer city breaks in Edinburgh will also see open air concerts and later on in the year, special festive decorations and a lively farmers’ market.