Story perspectives

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh reopens £23.5m palm houses

By Drooid · Oct 2, 2026, 2:45 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh reopened its palm houses after five years of restoration.
The £23.5 million refurbishment installed 5,750 toughened-glass panels while preserving the original sandstone shell.
Prof Julia Knights, regius Keeper, described the glasshouses as a cathedral for temperate plants.
Sadie Barber reported that falling glass has decapitated plants during high-wind storms.
In 2026 staff were barred from the glasshouses 15 times, wearing hard hats to clear broken glass.

1 of 1

Story summary

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh reopened its palm houses after five years of restoration.
The £23.5 million refurbishment installed 5,750 toughened-glass panels while preserving the original sandstone shell.
Prof Julia Knights, regius Keeper, described the glasshouses as a cathedral for temperate plants.
Sadie Barber reported that falling glass has decapitated plants during high-wind storms.
In 2026 staff were barred from the glasshouses 15 times, wearing hard hats to clear broken glass.