TWO HISTORIC Palm Houses that are home to hundreds of rare plants have reopened following an ambitious revamp.
The buildings that are almost 200-years-old are part of the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, but were forced to close for five years to repair leaks and rust.
Plans were first drawn up to upgrade the two Palm Houses in 2017 – but it wasn’t until 2021 when they closed, and then in 2022 the restoration began.
As of October 2, they are now open to the public once again after extensive work costing £23.5million, as reported by The Times.
During the works, more than five thousand panes of glass were replaced, and the ironwork that had been corroding has been repaired and repainted.
The stone work was renovated and a wall that once separated the two houses has been knocked down.
Around 800 rare plants like palms, conifers, ferns and begonias were temporarily moved during the restoration work – luckily the majority of them survived.
However, one 200-year-old Sabal palm tree had grown too tall for the glass house and couldn’t be saved.
But some of its seedlings have been kept.
The oldest of the two Palm Houses is the Tropical Palm House which was first built in 1834 and was the tallest traditional palm house in the UK at the time.
The second is the Temperate Palm House which was built in 1858 and still remains as one of the tallest traditional palm houses in the world.
Talking to the BBC, David Knott, the director of horticulture at the Botanic Garde, said: “For many people in Edinburgh and throughout Scotland and throughout the world, the palm houses in Edinburgh really are one of the most iconic features of the Botanic Garden here.”
The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is one of the most popular attractions in Scotland and won a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award.
One visitor said on Tripadvisor: “Absolutely beautiful gardens and a fantastic place to spend a few hours in Edinburgh.
“Everything was incredibly well maintained, with good paths, easy-to-follow maps and plenty of interesting and informative exhibitions along the way.”
Another called it a ‘must-do’ in Edinburgh with a third saying it’s the ‘best place for a walk’ in the city.
For those who want to visit the Royal Botanic Garden, tickets for adults cost £5.50, children age 15 and under go free, and concessions cost £4.70.
For Young Scot card holders and those on Universal/Pension Credit, entry is £1.