A massive donation from Wolfson Foundation will support the renovation of the Palm Houses at the Royal Botanic Garden (RGBE).
The charity will donate £750,000 to restore the historic palm houses, turning them into a themed visitor experience for generations to come.
The two late Georgian and Victorian Palm Houses are part of Scotland’s built heritage offering a safe home for fascinating plants some of which are endangered in their natural habitats. But these structures are now two centuries old and needing some repair.
A comprehensive programme to renovate the historic infrastructure is now well underway, helping to conserve the iconic arched windows, repair eroded stonework and replace the extensive glazing with more energy efficient panes.
Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said: “The Palm Houses are not just beautiful buildings, but also have outstanding horticultural, educational and heritage significance. We are delighted to award a grant to restore the buildings with new interpretation, allowing future generations of visitors to be inspired by the plants showcased in them.”
Simon Milne, MBE, Regius Keeper, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh added: “We are hugely grateful to the Wolfson Foundation for this vitally important award which will not only serve to protect buildings of unique architectural significance to Scotland but will also help safeguard our unique Living Collection of plants.
“At a time when 40 per cent of all known plants are under threat, visionary interpretation and activities will help communicate the importance and vulnerability of life on Earth, inspiring visitors to join us in the fight back against biodiversity loss, climate emergency and biosecurity threats.”
Once the conservation work is done RGBE will show how their scientists and botanists are in the front line to conserve biodiversity and protect the planet’s most vulnerable plants.
As well as the Wolfson Foundation other donors and funders include The Scottish Government, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, and Garfield Weston Foundation.
More about the Palm House restoration here.
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