Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - alpine house and news

[Maggi Young]

New Alpine House for Edinburgh Botanic Garden: The SRGC was delighted to be able to make a donation towards the building of a new alpine house at RBG Edinburgh.
From the latest news report on the BBC website about this exciting development :
'A new £200,000 glass house for alpine plants is to be built at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

The building, set to open to the public next spring, is the first in a British botanic garden dedicated to growing Alpine plants in limestone (tufa).

In the garden's present alpine house plants are in pots but in the new structure they will be in their natural rock face environment.

The move will help conservation of alpine plants across the world.

For 140 years the organisation has pioneered the growing of wild-collected alpines.

However, severe space restrictions mean the vast majority of plants held in Edinburgh have never been on public display.
Decline in habitats

John Mitchell, alpines supervisor at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said: "Our existing alpine house was built in 1975 and demonstrates the traditional way of growing plants in clay pots.

"Now, we have an opportunity to show how alpine growing techniques have evolved in the last 30 years.

"The new structure will sit next to and complement the traditional house by showcasing the latest techniques in the cultivation and care of alpines.

"The tufa will form a natural rock face for the plants to grow, rather than traditional pots, and is proven to significantly improve the quality and survivability of plant material.

"This will allow us to grow a wider range of species that are in decline in habitats around the world."

Funding has come from the Scottish government, Biffa Award, The Garfield Weston Foundation, Scottish Rock Garden Club and Alpine Garden Society, as well as trusts and private donations'.



I have copied the report above for the benefit of overseas readers who may not be able to access the link direct.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-19063530

[admin]

It's great that the SRGC has been able to help with the funding of this project.

I'll be down there next spring to check it out for sure. 

[Lesley Cox]

I wondered if they have ambitions to design boats for the super rich and are showing that they understand pointy ends..... .

No, we've got that industry sown up.

[alanelliott]

Thought everyone might like to see the ground works for the new Alpine House and the roof in the factory. Neither are my images.

[Maggi Young]

Thanks Alan - crikey,  that roof  section looks to be sturdy, doesn't it?

[alanelliott]

Well alpines are delicate wee things after all!
The latest I heard was that its all due to be going up on the 10th. I'll take my camera and make sure I post some pics of the proceedings.

[alanelliott]

The construction of the new RBGE Alpine house is underway and its a beast of a structure.

[ichristie]

Hello Alan, good to see you this week, the Alpine house looks great can't wait for next stage plenty room for wee treasures within, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[fermi de Sousa]

We might have to plan a return vist to Edinburgh after the Czech RG Conference next May
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

The building of the tufa wall  at the new alpine house is progressing well - the photo is from the RBGE's twitter pages
 

[Jiri Papousek]

Thanks Maggi, nice to see the progress. Here are few pictures of Alpine house with tufa wall from BG in Tuebingen in Germany. I was there 2 weeks ago.

[Maggi Young]

That's impressive, Jiri.  The tufa looks good - but the Tübingen glasshouse is not a very exciting shape   

I guess Michael Kammerlander was only interested in making a good alpine house for the plants - and who could blame him!
http://www.botgarten.uni-tuebingen.de/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=Alpinenhausbau

[David Nicholson]

............ - but the Tübingen glasshouse is not a very exciting shape........................................

No points yer see, you gotta have points these days

[Maggi Young]

From the latest "Botanics" magazine ....

[alanelliott]

Afternoon from a dreich RBGE. Thought I'd post a couple more shots of the tufa wall progress after a wee procrastination walk.