A tour of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) established in 1670 and celebrating its 350th anniversary in 2020, delivers world-leading plant science, horticulture, conservation and education programmes. With a mission to ‘Explore, Conserve and Explain the World of Plants for a Better Future,’ it is active in more than 35 countries, fighting the consequences of the climate emergency and habitat crises to protect the planet for future generations. With 13,750 plant species from 157 countries, on four magnificent sites across Scotland, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a major attraction, welcoming more than one million visitors every year.

The leguminous world of peas and beans

We all know sweet peas as one of the most beautiful and popular of garden plants, but have you met their relatives? Join Greg Kenicer as he delves into the leguminous world of peas and beans. Introducing us to RBGE’s national research collections, Dr Kenicer looks at the Garden’s research on the intriguing evolution and diversity of these economically important plants. He uncovers their potential for the future, and how growing them in your garden helps combat climate change.

Treasures under glass

Inside the Glasshouses at RGBE are more than 45,000 plants, forming a snapshot of tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This film explores this precious collection of plants and highlights how it is used as part of important research and conservation work. Safeguarded by the garden’s science and horticultural teams, working with international partners, these rare and endangered plants from around the world are vital to all our futures.

World leader in science

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a global leader in botanical science and an international centre of education. The organisation’s knowledge, gained over centuries, has the world turning to it on climate change and biodiversity loss and its work is critically important in addressing the challenges we are facing. The Garden’s research helps to protect crops of global economic value and its conservation work in Scotland provides a safeguard to plants under threat in the wild.

Find out more about the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Save to My scrapbook

The RHS is a charity, we need your support. Find out more.

Catch up on all the amazing videos & inspirational articles from the show.

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.