Storm Éowyn Leaves Trail of Destruction
The 90 mph wind gusts from Storm Éowyn on Friday 24 January 2025, caused widespread damage across all four of our Gardens.
Watch the short film below to learn about the devastating impact of the storm and the recovery efforts that lie ahead.
| Time | Description |
| [Simon Milne, Regius Keeper] The impact of the storm has been brutal across all four gardens. The loss is particularly felt by our tree collections, where I think we've lost probably in excess of four, maybe even 500 trees, with a whole lot more damaged. In addition to that, there's been damage to buildings and to our glass houses, so we're faced with a big problem. | |
| [Will Hinchliffe, Deputy Curator] In Edinburgh, we've lost 15 significant trees, but a further 26 have been damaged, and it's going to take us probably a month to clear the fallen trees and fallen branches, but then another 12 months to do the remedial pruning work to the trees that have been damaged. Behind us, we can see what remains of what was the tallest tree in the garden, this Himalayan cedar, Cedrus deodara. An Aesculus flava, which is the yellow buckeye, has blown apart, and the falling piece has taken off the lower five branches of a Himalayan Hazel, Corylus jacquemontii. The Corylus jacquemontii is a really special tree to us. It's the only one we have in the collection, and we don't know of another one in UK cultivation. | |
| [Sadie Barber, Research Collections Manager] About 80% or more of our glass houses that are the older ones that need attention, those are the ones that have been really badly damaged. The newest glasshouses that we have withstood no damage from the storm. There's about 200 panes of glass that need attention, most of which are broken. It's going to take several weeks for just the glass repairs. Beyond that, there's gonna be months and months, and checking to see how damaged plants have been from cold shock. One of our most important plants, the Trachycarpus princeps, is gearing up to be replanted in the palm houses. Currently, it's sitting under a big hole in the roof and getting dripped on by the cold rain, so that's become extremely vulnerable. | |
| [Simon Milne] We've lost friends, we've lost part of our culture as well. So yes, we'll replant, but we're gonna miss the trees that we've lost. If there's an encouraging story to the storm, it is the response of the public and our supporters, and it's been absolutely tremendous, and that will help us restore the gardens back to their former glory. |
Damage in the Edinburgh Garden
In the Edinburgh Garden, 15 trees have been lost – either uprooted by the wind or damaged beyond recovery. This includes the Garden’s tallest specimen, the majestic 29-metre Cedrus deodara, planted in 1859. A further 27 trees have been heavily damaged, and more than 100 panes of glass have been lost from our glasshouses.
Video footage courtesy of Morgan Spence, BBC
| Time | Description |
Benmore
Benmore has seen significant damage to its infrastructure and the Living Collection, including the loss of 200 - 300 trees.
The polytunnels and glasshouses, which protected many valuable plant species, were destroyed. Power was out until Monday, and several buildings, including the Nursery, Courtyard, and tractor sheds, had their roofs blown off or damaged beyond repair.
Sadly, one of the Redwood trees (Sequoiadendron giganteum) on the newly restored and historic Redwood Avenue has also been lost.
Dawyck
The severity of the damage at Dawyck includes 50-60 trees lost and pathways blocked, making parts of the Garden inaccessible. A considerable amount of work is required to remove broken limbs, and the team anticipates 12 months of effort to clear all of the irreparable damage done.
The annual opening of the Garden will be delayed until Saturday 22 February to ensure the Garden is safe for visitors to return.
Logan
Around 50 trees, including many valuable species, have been heavily damaged or uprooted, with Eucalyptus trees being the most affected. Staff have been working hard to clear fallen trees and assess the necessary recovery efforts. 89mph winds also caused damage to tunnels and glasshouses.
Due to the necessary recovery work, Logan's reopening will be delayed until early March to ensure the garden is safe for visitors.
Please support us to restore our Gardens and our living collections by donating today to our recovery fund. All your donations, no matter the size will be directly used across our four Gardens on vital restoration.
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