Terms and conditions for bench adoption at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE)
Last updated July 2023

1. All bench adoptions are strictly limited to a period of 10 years from the date your plaque is affixed to the adopted bench.

2. After the 10 year adoption period, you will be contacted using your last known contact details and offered a re-adoption at the rate advertised when this is offered. If re-adopted, a new bench will be ordered, unless RBGE receive a request for the old bench to remain. New benches will be different in design to the existing bench.

If you would like to be notified when the bench is up for adoption please keep the Development Team updated if your address, phone number or email address change. Contact details for the Development Team are as follows:

Development Team
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
20a Inverleith Row
Edinburgh
EH3 5LR

Email: celebratelife@rbge.org.uk
Phone: +44 (0)7917 837 806

These contact details may be subject to change. Please refer to https://www.rbge.org.uk/celebratelife for up-to-date contact information.

3. Benches are subject to relocation by staff and visitors.

• As a result, we may not know the location of a bench at any given time. We will do our best to help with any enquiries regarding a bench’s location, please note it may take up to two weeks to confirm location.

• We cannot guarantee that your bench will stay in the initial location throughout the ten year adoption, nor can we guarantee the appearance of and views from the location over this period. Whilst we will do our best to place the bench in the location of your choosing upon its arrival into the Garden, our staff do not have capacity to move benches on request thereafter.

4. All benches and plaques in the Garden are property of RBGE. The responsibility of maintenance falls to RBGE.

5. Structural maintenance costs have been factored into the price of your bench adoption. Should repairs be required we will use the appropriate funds, however should the total cost of repair be greater than the available funds we reserve the right to remove your bench from the Garden. If this happens within your 10 year adoption period we will take all reasonable actions to arrange for a replacement bench to bear the commemorative plaque, you will be contacted if this is the case.

6. The appearance and design of the bench may vary from depicted images, and all new benches will be treated with a wood treatment oil. Maintenance checks are carried out by the supplier in conjunction with RBGE staff on an annual basis and works will be carried out accordingly. You will be notified before your bench is taken away for maintenance and when your bench is returned to the Garden.

7. There may be times when your bench is not accessible due to one-off and seasonal events taking place within the Garden, such as Christmas at the Botanics. Benches may also be inaccessible during planned and unforeseen garden maintenance works.

8. If anything happened to permanently damage your adopted bench, RBGE will take all reasonable action to contact you and to find a new bench to bear the commemorative plaque. If your plaque is damaged beyond cleaning or repair, the Garden will work with you to create a replacement plaque.

9. Due to the increasing risk from plant diseases and pests, no externally sourced plant material is allowed on-site, therefore floral tributes are not permitted in the Garden. All such plant material will immediately be removed.

10. RBGE reserves the right to change the terms and conditions. An updated copy will be sent to you should this occur.

Terms and conditions for bench adoption at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE)
Last updated November 2021

1. All bench adoptions are strictly limited to a period of 10 years from the date your plaque is affixed to the sponsored bench.

2. After the 10 year adoption period, you will be contacted using your last known contact details and offered a re-adoption at the adoption rate advertised when this is offered. If re-adopted, the existing bench will remain in situ in the Garden for as long as the Garden sees fit. Once the bench reaches a stage where it requires replacement, a new bench will be ordered, and the plaque will be removed and affixed to this new bench.
If you would like to re-sponsor please keep the Development team updated if your address, phone number or email address change. The current contact details for the Development team are as follows:

Development & Membership Team
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
20a Inverleith Row
Edinburgh
EH3 5LR
Email: celebratelife@rbge.org.uk
Phone: +44 (0)7917 837 821

These contact details may be subject to change. Please refer to https://www.rbge.org.uk/celebratelife for up-to-date contact information.

3. Benches are subject to relocation by staff and visitors.
a. As a result, we cannot know the location of a bench at any given time. Although we will do our best to help with any enquiries regarding a bench’s location, it may take up to 2 weeks for us to be able to locate it.
b. We cannot guarantee that your bench will stay in the initial location throughout the ten year adoption, nor can we guarantee the appearance of and views from the location over this period. Whilst we will do our best to place the bench in the location of your choosing upon its arrival into the Garden, our staff do not have capacity to move benches on request thereafter.

4. All benches and plaques in the Garden are property of RBGE and therefore the responsibility of maintenance falls to RBGE.

5. Structural maintenance costs have been factored into the price of your bench adoption. Should repairs be required we will use the appropriate funds, however should the total cost of repair be greater than the available funds we reserve the right to remove your bench from the Garden. You will be contacted if this is the case. If this happens within your 10 year sponsorship period we will take all reasonable actions to arrange for a replacement bench to bear the commemorative plaque.

6. The appearance and design of the bench may vary from depicted images, and all new benches will be allowed to silver naturally during the adoption period as the oak weathers. Benches commissioned in recent years, as well as all new benches, are not coated with a varnish or other weatherproofing finishes. Maintenance checks are carried out by the supplier in conjunction with RBGE staff on an annual basis and works will be carried out accordingly. You will be notified before your bench is taken in for maintenance, as well as when your bench is returned to the Garden. The joiner who makes our benches has advised that the best way to maintain untreated benches is periodic cleaning with soap and water, and this will be carried out as and when benches are identified for cleaning.

7. If anything were to happen to permanently damage your adopted bench, RBGE will take all reasonable action to contact you and to find a new bench to bear the commemorative plaque. If your plaque is damaged beyond cleaning or repair, the Garden will work with you to create a replacement plaque.

8. Due to the increasing risk from plant diseases and pests no externally sourced plant material is allowed on-site, therefore floral tributes are not permitted in the Garden. All such plant material will immediately be removed and destroyed.

9. RBGE reserves the right to change the terms and conditions. An updated copy will be sent to you should this occur.

1. Should unforeseen circumstances regarding the future use of the John Hope Gateway building arise, RBGE will ensure the Hope Tree commemorations remain on RBGE property in perpetuity. Please keep the Development team updated with any change to your address, phone number or email address.
   
   The current contact details for the Development team are as follows:

   Development Team
   Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
   20a Inverleith Row
   Edinburgh
   EH3 5LR

   Email: celebratelife@rbge.org.uk
   Phone: +44 (0)131 248 2855

   These contact details may be subject to change. Please refer to https://www.rbge.org.uk/celebratelife for up-to-date contact information.

2. The Hope Tree and its leaves remain the property of RBGE. Responsibility for maintaining it, therefore, lies with RBGE.

3. Should the leaf become damaged, RBGE will take reasonable actions to arrange a replacement. A maximum of one replacement is permitted. Additional costs may be incurred by the purchaser should further replacements be required or requested.

4. Cleaning of the Hope Tree will be undertaken by RBGE on an annual basis. Visitors are not permitted to clean their leaf or the Hope Tree without prior permission, which can be obtained from the Fundraising team.

5. Once mounted, the location of your leaf is fixed and will not be moved by RBGE, nor can it be moved by the purchaser.

6. RBGE reserves the right to change the terms and conditions. An updated copy will be sent to you should any changes occur.

1. All Memory Garden Plaques are strictly limited to a period of 10 years from the date the plaque is mounted on the Memory Garden Wall.

2. Just prior to the end of the 10 year period, you will be contacted using your last known contact details and given the opportunity to purchase a new commemoration at RBGE’s future price for the scheme. If you would like to purchase a new commemoration at the end of the 10 year term, please keep the Development team updated with any change to your address, phone number or email address. The current contact details for the Development team are as follows:

   Development Team
   Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
   20a Inverleith Row
   Edinburgh
   EH3 5LR

   Email: celebratelife@rbge.org.uk
   Phone: +44 (0)131 248 2855

   These contact details may be subject to change. Please refer to https://www.rbge.org.uk/celebratelife for up-to-date contact information.

3. All Memory Garden Plaques remain the property of RBGE.

4. Should the plaque become damaged, RBGE will take all reasonable actions to arrange for a replacement plaques. A maximum of one replacement is permitted in the ten year period. Additional costs will be incurred by the purchaser should further replacements be required or requested.

5. Cleaning of the plaques will not be undertaken by RBGE, nor will visitors be permitted to clean their plaque without prior permission. Please contact the Fundraising team to obtain permission if required.

6. The climbers on the Memory Garden Wall may grow underneath and over the plaques. RBGE will endeavour to train the plants underneath and around the plaques. Should any growth cover the plaque, please get in touch and we’ll arrange for pruning, if appropriate.

7. Once mounted, the location of your plaque is fixed and will not be moved by RBGE during the 10 year period unless damage is sustained and a replacement location sought.

8. No externally sourced plant material is allowed on-site, therefore floral tributes are not permitted in the Garden. All such plant material will immediately be removed and destroyed.

9. RBGE reserves the right to change the terms and conditions at any time. An updated copy will be sent to you should any changes occur.

Terms and conditions for Tree Sponsorships with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE):

Last updated February 2024

1. All Tree Sponsorships are strictly limited to a period of 10 years from the date the sponsorship panel is placed at the base of the tree.

2. Prior to the end of the 10-year period, you will be contacted using your last known contact details and given the opportunity to re-sponsor a tree, providing it is still healthy, or purchase a new sponsorship at RBGE’s extant price for the scheme. If this is of interest, please keep the Development team updated with any change to your address, phone number or email address; their details can be found below.

3. All Tree Sponsorship panels remain the property of RBGE. Panels also act as an educational tool, and content is decided by RBGE’s Interpretation team, with the help of scientists and researchers. Occasionally, panels may require updated scientific context, narrative, and images. Before panels are produced, we will always share a draft with the adopter to ensure you are happy with your commemorative message.

4. Should the panel become damaged, RBGE will take all reasonable actions to arrange for a replacement. A maximum of one replacement request by the sponsor is permitted in the ten-year period. Additional costs may be incurred by the donor should further replacements be required or requested unless these replacements are arranged as part of the Garden’s panel interpretation update.

5. Cleaning of the panels will occasionally be undertaken by RBGE. Visitors are not permitted to clean their panel without prior permission from the Development team.

6. Should RBGE’s Arboretum team advise that the tree be removed, garden development or safety concerns, the donor will be contacted with a view to agreeing another tree for the remainder of the sponsorship period and RBGE will cover the costs of the new sponsorship panel.

7. No externally sourced plant material is allowed on-site, therefore floral tributes are not permitted in the Garden. All such plant material will immediately be removed and destroyed.

8. RBGE reserves the right to change the terms and conditions. An updated copy will be sent to you should any changes occur.

Contact details of the Development Team:

Development Team
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
20a Inverleith Row
Edinburgh
EH3 5LR