Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - alpine house and news

[Maggi Young]

The Alpine Dept. of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh mounts a wonderful display at several SRGC and SRGC/AGS shows - they are always interestingly full of the most delightful plants!( The other week both a Gold Medal for the whole display and a Professional Medal for a pot of Narcissus was awarded to them at the SRGC Kincardine Show -the  Professional Forrest Medal was awarded for this beautiful Narcissus x munozii - garmendiae - now known as N. x susannae shown in the RBGE display )



We are indeed fortunate - these displays add a great deal to our shows. Looking at these photos the display at the show tomorrow from RBGE Alpine Dept. tomorrow will be even more beautiful than ever! Good luck to Elspeth Mackintosh ( seen in these pix)  and her team!!





 photos from Twitter by Richard I Brown

[Maggi Young]

The RBGE restored Alpine House and refurbished trough area  has reopened in time for Easter -





All looks rather fine, doesn't it?

[Maggi Young]

From John Mitchell's Tweet - a look back to the old set-up in 1975....

[Maggi Young]

and another glimpse from John M. inside  the new Alpine house, looking through to the frames

[David Nicholson]

Looks very good indeed.

[Maggi Young]

Job on offer at RBGE Alpine Dept. :


http://www.rbge.org.uk/about-us/vacancies

Horticulturist (Rock and Alpine)
Full time, fixed term (9 months), based in Edinburgh
Salary: £17,791 to £19,500 (Pay Band B)

We are looking to recruit a Horticulturist to join the Rock and Alpine team at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for a period of 9 months.

In this job you will be involved in maintaining and enhancing the Living Collection, tasks will include potting, weeding, watering, propagation, planting, cutting grass as well as being involved in project work within the wider Outdoor Living Collections Department.

Applicants should be qualified to SVQ Level 2 or equivalent, have the ability to work to a very high standard, be computer literate, able to work in a group situation or individually, be highly motivated and be a good communicator.  Additionally, the successful candidate should have knowledge of botanical horticulture, garden maintenance, an interest in alpine plants and be experienced in propagation techniques.

Please click here for a full job description and person specification which outlines the key and specific responsibilities as well as the essential and desirable criteria for this post.

Applicants should send a CV and covering letter which outlines their suitability for the post as well as a completed equal opportunities form to recruitment@rbge.org.uk by noon on Friday, 19 May 2017.

If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been shortlisted.

[Maggi Young]

Yesterday there was an event at RBGE to celebrate the official opening of the refurbished alpine house, frames and trough area - these photos are from Ian Christie.......

[Maggi Young]

more from Ian  the Christie kind.... and moving on to some views around the Gardens

[Maggi Young]

some more things catching Ian's eye ....










The recently rebuilt Botanic Cottage

[Maggi Young]

Some pix from the evening from Hilary and Graeme Butler of Rumbling Bridge Nursery

[Maggi Young]

Flora of Nepal Trail: Introduction
Many of the plants commonly grown in UK gardens originally came from the Himalayas. Our Flora of Nepal Trail shares the stories of 14 fascinating species of Nepalese plants, some of which you may know and some which are less familiar. Learn how they are used in Nepal and the collectors who brought them back here by exploring the trail.

https://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/25192?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=socialnetwork

[Matt T]

I was sitting exams in Edinburgh earlier this week, and blessed with fine weather spent some time in the Botanics. Here are a few shots of the alpine, rock and woodland gardens.

1. The new house and frames are a faithful, like-for-like replacement.
2. Combining shade netting and slatted blinds for excellent shading to keep to house cool and protect the plants from excess sun.
3. Inside, the plants are settling in. The new wire screens (for security) are slightly less obtrusive that the old ones and its possible to get a reasonable photo through the gaps.
4. The shady side.
5. The peat frame.

[Matt T]

The permanent plantings around the troughs have been left undisturbed. Additional donated troughs have been incorporated.
A silver Saxifrage in full flower, a putful of Celimisia gracilienta (with Dactylorhiza interloper) in the frame and intensely coloured new growth on Schizocodon soldanelloides magnus in the peat frame.

[Matt T]

Now to the modern tufa house.
1. Plants seem to be establishing in the tufa wall with varying degrees of success. Those on the part fo the wall facing SSE are not so successful.
2. The more easterly facing wall shows better growth.
3. Including Physoplexis comosa.
4. outside the doors is a large boulder planted up with Saxifraga longifolia.
5. Plants in the crevice garden are looking well established.

[Matt T]

Dianthus were in peak bloom:

1. Dianthus sp. (unlabelled)
2. D. deltoides.
3. D. arenaria
4. D. lumnitzeri

Helichrysum ecklonis was also eye-catching.