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Edinburgh & Lothians Group
If you're residing in or visiting Edinburgh and the Lothians, we warmly invite you to join us at one of our events. You'll be made most welcome whether an alpine plant specialist, a seasoned gardener or just someone with a casual interest in plants. For any inquiries, feel free to contact Frazer Henderson, our convenor, at 01501 762972 or via email at . Our in-person meetings take place in the Conference Room at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, located at 20a Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR. Be sure to check the calendar below for specific details. In addition to these meetings, we also host Zoom sessions, garden visits, an annual day-long conference each November, and two Club shows in Edinburgh and Livingston.
Details of the current events programme are here: | Date | Time | | Type | Organiser | Details | Notes | | January | | Tue 14-Jan-25 | 7.30 pm | GMT | Talk(O) | Edinburgh | A Zoom meeting for the dark winter night | | | February | | Tue 11-Feb-25 | 7.30 pm | GMT | Meet | Edinburgh | The magic behind plant propagation - Richard Moore | | | March | | Tue 11-Mar-25 | 7.30 pm | GMT | Meet | Edinburgh | The Bernese Oberland - Jim Jermyn | | | April | | Sat 5-Apr-25 | 10.30am | BST | Show | Edinburgh | Edinburgh & the Lothians show. Note NEW VENUE | | | Tue 8-Apr-25 | 7.30 pm | BST | Meet | Edinburgh | Kyrgyzstan 2024 - Aaron Marshall | | | August | | Sat 16-Aug-25 | 4pm | BST | Meet | Edinburgh | Saughton Gardens: guided tour | | Future
2025 Events | | Tue 14-Oct-25 | 7.30 pm | BST | Meet | Edinburgh | Karakol: Przewalski, paths and plants - Frazer Henderson | | | Sat 8-Nov-25 | 9.30 am | GMT | Meet | Edinburgh | The Future for Plants: Focus on Conservation Horticulture - Conference with tour of RBGE | See side panel on Edinburgh page for details | Future
2026 Events | | Tue 10-Mar-26 | 7.30 pm | GMT | Meet | Edinburgh | The Japanese Garden at Cowden - Nicola Dibley; plus AGM | |
Autumn & winter 2025-6: Celebrating Scotland's rock gardeners and gardens Everyone is invited to enjoy a series of talks on Zoom to brighten the dark days. Details on how to join the online meeting will be available nearer to the date.
| Date | Time | | Type | Organiser | Details | Notes | Future
2025 Events | | Thu 6-Nov-25 | 7.30pm | GMT | Talk(O) | SRGC | Branklyn Garden, past, present and future - Jim Jermyn | ZOOM | | Thu 4-Dec-25 | 7.30pm | GMT | Talk(O) | SRGC | Scotland's showiest alpines - looking at plants at our shows - Stan da Prato | ZOOM | Future
2026 Events | | Thu 8-Jan-26 | 7.30pm | GMT | Talk(O) | SRGC | A life of plants, people and gardens (including Roscoeas!) - Colin Crosbie | ZOOM | | Thu 5-Feb-26 | 7.30pm | GMT | Talk(O) | SRGC | Nature - Gardener's tutor II - how observing plants in the wild can guide growing them at home - Ian Young | ZOOM |
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The Future for Plants: Focus on Conservation Horticulture Lectures and garden tours at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh 9.30 am, Saturday, 8th November, 2025
All welcome. Free admission
Programme
9.30 am Arrival, with coffee/tea available
10 am Welcome
10.05 am Planting to assist recovery
Erin O'Hare, Jennifer Baker, Pablo Bell Molina & Max Coleman Erin O'Hare, Jennifer Baker and Pablo Bell Molina (RBGE) are responsible for the conservation horticulture of ten threatened plants being assisted through the Scottish Plant Recovery programme. Max Coleman (RBGE) is helping to share stories of the recovery work and has an interest in ‘wilding’ as a way to conserve plants.
11.15 am Comfort Break
11.25 am Renewing historic rock gardens David Rankin
Rocky displays of alpine plants at shows for Kevock Garden Plants led to requests for help with rock gardens. David and Stella Rankin, and others from the Kevock team, have been delighted to have these experiences. Not just rock gardens, and not just historic. But always challenging, and always rewarding. The work involves compromises, with the rock originally used or available now, with the plants desired or available, with the intended use of the gardens - and with the owners, and the depths of their pockets! David is a former President of the SRGC.
12.30 pm Guided Tour of the Rock Garden John Mitchell and Scott Cook
John Mitchell, Supervisor of the Alpine department and the Rock Garden, has travelled extensively to various alpine regions worldwide, sharing knowledge and seeking plants for the RBGE. He is a respected figure in the world of alpines, frequently leading plant tours, delivering engaging lectures, and serving as a judge at shows. Scott Cook, Senior Horticulturalist, oversees the daily care of alpine plants, manages the alpine houses and propagation unit, and produces stunning displays that highlight diverse and remarkable specimens from mountainous areas around the globe.
1.15 pm time for lunch or further exploration of the RGBE.
2 pm Where have all the primroses gone? John Richards
John Richards is Emeritus Professor of Botany at the University of Newcastle, where his research interests centre on the evolution and genetics of plant breeding systems. He is a well-known, acknowledged authority on the genera Primula and Taraxacum (dandelions!). John is a keen grower of alpines in his Hexham garden and has travelled the world to see plants in their native habitats. He is also a judge and exhibitor of alpine plants and was previously President of the AGS (2003-6).
3.15 pm Review & Close
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