As part of early preparations for the Edinburgh Biomes project, plants are now being decanted from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s iconic Victorian Temperate Palm House to temporary homes. Our conservation horticulturists are using all the latest techniques alongside traditional best methods to carefully lift specimens from their established beds and transfer them. This is a complex process involving careful manoeuvring of large and small specimens within the Glasshouse network.

Soon, this decanting work will progress to the neighbouring Tropical Palm Houses, the oldest of our Glasshouses. From here, there will be one significant loss. The Sabal palm (Sabal bermudana) cannot be saved. However, its demise is not directly a result of the Biomes.

This tree is the oldest plant in our collection. It was transported across the city from our third site, at Leith Walk, nearly 200 years ago. The Sabal has outgrown the Tropical Palm House, and new leaves are pushing against the glass roof. Having been trimmed at various points in recent years, the tree is now failing and, regardless of the Biomes Project, the decision had been taken that it would need to come out. The good news is, there is a legacy. We have progeny and the young plants will take their places in the new plantings within the restored Glasshouses. The intention will be to conserve the felled tree.

Find out more about the Edinburgh Biomes project here.