In this blog Professor Lorna Dawson, Gateway knowledge broker for Environment and Soil, shares some insights after visiting RBGE as a member of the Scotia Agriculture Group,19th August 2025. Scotia Agricultural Club has an aim of bringing together people with experience of interdisciplinary approaches to food production and seek a balanced judgement of the long-term effects of innovation on the conservation of the land. This popular visit certainly stimulated much interest and enlightened discussion!
Introduction
Thanks particularly to all the staff from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) who made our visit possible, in particular Alexandra Davey and Jasmine Isa Munro. Thanks also to Lee Innes, Communications Director, Moredun, who organised this visit.
Background
RBGE is part of the SEFARI collective (i.e. Moredun, James Hutton Institute, SRUC, Rowett, BioSS, RBGE) in supporting the current and next generation of researchers to ensure that the science they undertake has real world impact. SEFARI stands for Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutions, whose research and expertise provides solutions to critical mid to longer-term challenges for Scotland’s environment, agriculture, land use, food and rural communities. These six institutes support science across the Scottish Government’s Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research Portfolio.
Recent Scottish Government funding of £50m has placed the RBGE central in global action to combat the climate emergency and address the biodiversity crisis. The Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Fund backing covers five years’ work (which is currently on-going) on the visionary Edinburgh Biomes initiative, creating world-class facilities producing climate, economic, wellbeing and environmental benefits. Redevelopment of the public and research Glasshouses, at the Garden’s headquarter Edinburgh site, will safeguard the globally important collection of plants housed within them. Hopefully on our next visit we will be able to see these fabulous facilities.
Part of the recent ongoing redevelopment works at RBGE. Source: Lorna Dawson.
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a leading botanic garden, curator of Scotland’s national botanical collections, and a global centre for biodiversity science, horticulture and education. In addition to the Edinburgh garden, they manage three other Gardens across Scotland and hold over 13,000 plant species, with over 1,000 of them threatened with extinction, visited by over a million people each year.
Benmore Botanic Garden is housed in a beautiful mountainside location on the Cowal Peninsula, rich in history and surrounded by dramatic scenery. Known for its towering conifers and wonderful rhododendrons, Benmore features a world-renowned collection of plants from the Himalayas, China, Japan, and North and South America. Known as the Giants of Benmore, a remarkable collection of trees, including iconic redwoods, Douglas firs, Scots pines, and monkey puzzle trees, create a wonderful landscape. Set in a picturesque glen, the Dawyck Botanic Garden, the Scottish Borders, is one of the world’s finest arboreta and renowned for its seasonal displays. Due to its continental climate, many plants from around the world thrive there, including rare and remarkable species from Nepal, China, and Chile. The tree trails and paths there trace the adventures of pioneering plant hunters like David Douglas, namesake of the Douglas fir, and immerse yourself in Dawyck’s rich botanical heritage. Logan Botanic Garden, Port Logan, Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway is a paradise nestled on Scotland’s south-western tip. Thanks to the warming influence of the Gulf Stream, Logan enjoys an almost subtropical climate, allowing exotic plants from around the world to flourish. These gives us much thought for other visits in the future!
The Botanics’ staff, students and volunteers explore, conserve and explain the world of plants and fungi, pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge, and training and engaging people of all ages to protect and restore our botanic world. With active projects in over 40 countries, they engage nationally and internationally to deliver the vision of a positive future for plants, people, and the planet.
RBGE
We were warmly met by Alexandra Davey, Deputy Director of Science (Research) at the RBGE and she presented us with a very interesting overview of the work being carried out across the Botanics. Alex has field experience in South America, tropical Africa and South East Asia where her research interests involve biodiversity, herbarium taxonomy, phylogenetics and threatened species restoration. She is very interested in public engagement and collaborating with artists, poets and social scientists to raise awareness of current global challenges including plant extinction and habitat loss. She talked about her work to develop collaborative research, conservation and training in China and showed us photos of the RBGE field station on the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain near Lijiang, Yunnan Province. Through collaborative links with China, the RBGE in Edinburgh hosts the largest collection of Chinese plants outside of China.
We were presented with an overview of the work of RBGE and she highlighted some of the current research projects. Discovery science, Global environmental change and Conservation and sustainability are their three main pillars of action. Developing collections and making them accessible are key to achieving these actions. Discovery science was exemplified by developments and applications in DNA barcoding, where it has been shown to complement traditional techniques. Meta barcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) was also mentioned as an exciting new technique where one can take an air sample and identify all the species that have passed by that location – even a parrot flying through a woodland. By creating species lists they can feed into local policy to conserve.
This DNA work also feeds into the Darwin Tree of Life, International barcode of Life and Biodiversity Genetics Europe – all examples of excellent collaboration. A fabulous free online resource was pointed out to us – The World Flora Online. The WFO has been an enormous global endeavour and a great step towards conserving life on earth.
Alex showing us the global reach of RBGE. Source: Lorna Dawson.
Examples of work in Global environmental change included plant health, with examples where plants are so threatened that people are restricted and have to wash any footwear before visiting an area. We were also taken to the savanna grasslands, where both grazing and woodland encroachment have to be well managed. Alex reminded us that these grasslands can store significant amounts of carbon underground. The threat from large fires was discussed, and we were reminded that although fire is part of the survival of these habitats, they are small natural fires, not the big fires we have seen in recent years.
Conservation and sustainability was discussed as the third strand of the work being focussed on at the RBGE. The Cairngorms’ alpine-blue sowthistle is threatened and can only be found in isolated pockets far from any grazers reach (also termed Bear lettuce in Finland). These plants are now being reestablished from propagated plants at the greenhouses at RBGE. The marsh saxifrage was also discussed, which has never before been cultivated as it needs fresh running water – delivered by a bespoke drainage system in the garden. Another example was where they took survivors of Dutch elm disease and bred new plants form the survivors to build resistance into the population through transplanting. Throughout all this work Alex told us that its also all about people and delivering knowledge and providing the right skills so communities can deliver land use benefits, such as the work being carried out in Nepal.
It’s a collaborative process where people can learn to carry out the conservation work themselves. Through ‘The Good City’ project over the last three years, RBGE scientists have been exploring the expertise of young people across Edinburgh to find out where nature-based solutions are most needed. More than 400 young people participated in this project, mapping their neighbourhoods using their ‘route to school’ as a sampling tool and contributing their observations and ideas for how we make our city better. In The Good City’ project the pupils were asked about their interaction with nature on their route to school and researchers received responses such as “I like the fir cones for making crafts” and “I hate that woodland because it’s scary”. The session finished with a vibrant Question and Answer session with the Scotia group covering many topics.
The Herbarium
The next session was a guided tour of the Herbarium by Robyn Drinkwater (digitisation informatics coordinator). The Herbarium contains a unique and extensive collection of over 3 million specimens. The specimens were contributed over the years by collectors, scientists, plant hunters and explorers and each tells a fascinating story relating to their origins.
The Herbarium collection of more than three million preserved plant and fungal specimens represents half to two-thirds of the world’s flora and covers more than 300 years of biodiversity, with the oldest specimen collected in 1697. Established in the mid-1800s, the Herbarium expands by around 30,000 specimens each year. A large digitisation programme is working to make this incredible resource available to everyone, everywhere and has already imaged over one million specimens. The entire digital catalogue is freely available online at https://data.rbge.org.uk/search/herbarium/. With high resolution images.
When I asked Robyn which was her favourite part of her job at RBGE she said: “It all depends on which part of the week it is, but the joy of potentially discovering something new is wonderful. Up until recently we did not know that we had a specimen of the fern Selliguea lateritia from the Alfred Russell Wallace expeditions. I’ll keep opening up the drawers and hopefully discover new things”. Interestingly, the colours described by Wallace are also seen in the brilliant colours of peacock feathers, elytras of beetles and the leaves of some plants. Other fern collections of Wallace have been discovered in the herbarium at Cambridge University, the University of Reading, the Natural History Museum of Paris and the Natural History Museum of Vienna. We can see that with 40% of plants now threatened with extinction, important lessons can be learned from evidence from the past housed in herbaria.
One of our Scotia groups with Robyn Drinkwater (first from left) who showed us many brilliant examples from the Herbarium, here demonstrating how a plant press works. Source: Lorna Dawson.
The library
The next stage was a tour round the library, ably delivered by Leonie Paterson (archivist). The library is Scotland’s national reference collection for specialist botanical and horticultural resources and is one of this country’s largest research libraries. The Archive holds RBGE’s historic records, and those of individuals and organisations related to RBGE, and is a treasure trove of correspondence, papers, maps, illustrations, and objects relating to the development of botanical science and horticulture. Former President, Alistair Stott found records of his great uncle Fred Crowe who was a gardening student at RBGE from 1908-11. Alistair still has postcards Fred received during his later life as a gardener. One unsent postcard is shown below. It may feature Fred and his colleagues at RBGE in around 1908 . Leonie was later able to follow up with a search focussed on Fred in the RBGE archives. These find him working at A.M. Damude, Thorold, Ontario, Canada from 1911. In 1939 he lived at Sunderland Street, Tickhill, Doncaster. By 1959 he lives in St. Thomas Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight. Alistair never met his Uncle Fred and so was delighted to match these records with the addresses on his collection of Fred’s postcards.
Postcard from Fred Crowe’s collection. Fred was about 24 when he arrived at RBGE in 1908 so he may be first from the left? The initials on the shovel (FBC) add some weight to this but the initial ‘B’ is a mystery! Source: Alistair Stott.
The Archive catalogue can be found at: https://atom.rbge.org.uk/atom-2/ and https://atom.rbge.org.uk/archive-resources/ for a transcribed lists of students and gardeners in case anyone else wants to check for a relative who may have trained or worked at RBGE over history. The voting box was a great hit as we got a chance to see where our vote would go – aye or no! This was a black ball system used by the garden committee to vote when various decisions on the garden were made.
The Scotia group being shown the old maps of the garden. Source: Lorna Dawson.
When visiting the library, we heard some interesting tales of old. In 1670 it was established with one of the main functions of the garden to teach trainee doctors about the power of plants. Botany was a key part of medicine and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle learnt much of his plant poison powers while studying there. During 1st World War, it was documented that moss was used successfully as a wound dressing. Its water absorbing properties plus antimicrobial powers made it the ideal wound dressing and saved many lives.
We heard about George Forrest and his pioneering work in China. It is hard to talk about Forrest without mentioning it and it earned him the reputation of being resourceful and determined. Forrest, who was a herbarium clerk at RBGE, was, from April 1904, on his first plant hunting expedition to Yunnan province, southwest China on behalf of A.K. Bulley of Bees Nursery and founder of Ness Botanic Gardens near Liverpool. Whilst working in south-central China in July 1905 he focussed his search in the valleys near the Mekong river, but sadly news reached home that Forrest had been murdered. His shocking death was mourned for a few days before a telegram arrived announcing him ‘alive and safe’. A few months later, the following letter addressed to Isaac Bayley Balfour, the Regius Keeper at RBGE arrived, and all was well and Forrest had made a lucky escape and continued his searching for key pants species.
When asked what her favourite find in the archive was, Leonie said that it had to be Forrest’s letters. “To read the primary resources such as his letters and to realise these people from history were real people, and to discover that they were not always well behaved and this was revealed from time to time, while most people thought he was a quiet man”.
One of our Scotia groups with Leonie Paterson (second from right) who showed us many brilliant examples from the archives. Source: Lorna Dawson.
We then dispersed into smaller groups and went for lunch at one of the brilliant cafes and restaurants at the RBGE www.rbge.org.uk/visit/royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh/food-and-drink.
Summary
We enjoyed a wonderful day at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The Scotia Group learnt so much and were able to discuss many topics, including public engagement, scientific discoveries, conservation, national and international collections, conservation, keynote species, DNA, plant collections, library resources, collaboration, and the importance of biodiversity in global conservation initiatives. And a chance to learn how to conserve specimens, turn them into ceramics, know how to poison enemies, treat wounds with moss, and vote in the wooden black ball system! People and Plants coming together at the RBGE- a great day was had by all.
And to end this blog I share my reflections from the day:
Roots of Knowledge, Leaves of Change
Lorna Dawson, Scotia Agriculture Group, August 2025
In Edinburgh’s heart, where the gardens breathe,
Where science and petals their stories weave,
The Scotia Group gathered, minds open wide,
To walk where the past and the future collide.
Alexandra Davey, with passion profound,
Spoke of forests afar and the life underground.
From Yunnan’s peaks to the Jade Dragon’s snow,
She showed how the seeds of connection can grow.
With Jasmine and Lee, the day was well planned,
A journey through wonders, both crafted and grand.
In the Herbarium, time stood still,
Three million stories, each leaf a will.
Robyn revealed how the past is preserved,
Digitised treasures, carefully served.
From 1697 to today’s green call,
Each specimen whispering, “We still stand tall.”
Then Leonie guided through archives deep,
Where letters and maps in silence sleep.
A black ball vote, a moss-bound cure,
Tales of Doyle and Forrest endure.
We learned of the fir cones, the crafts, the fears,
Of schoolchildren’s voices and nature’s frontiers.
Of DNA threads and ceramics from clay,
Of how plants and people shape each day.
From poison to healing, from art to the land,
We saw how the Botanics extends its hand.
To science, to culture, to futures unknown,
To balance, to beauty, to seeds we’ve sown.
So here’s to the Garden, to Scotia’s bright flame,
To those who conserve in nature’s name.
A day of discovery, of dialogue and grace,
Where roots of knowledge found their place.
If anyone has any queries about RBGE, please get in touch with Deputy Director of Science (Research) RBGE, Alex Davey, and she will get back to you. ADavey@rbge.org.uk
Blog: Lorna Dawson, James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen
Author: Bill Spoor
BSc Agric Botany (Aberystwyth), PhD Plant genetics (Reading). Research interests focused on plant genetic resource conservation and utilisation with substantial research student engagement. Led to appointment as PG Director of Studies at the Univ. of Edinburgh whilst employed by SRUC (then SAC). Head of Crop and Soil Systems Group which was focussed on education delivery (U/G and P/G taught courses ), research in crop and soil systems (funded by SERAD and other Govt agencies, and commercial), and extension (Crop Clinic). Increasing involvement in organisational management via Dean of Centre and as Dean of Postgraduate Studies.
