New £200,000 alpine house for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

A new £200,000 glass house for alpine plants is to be built at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

The building, set to open to the public next spring, is the first in a British botanic garden dedicated to growing Alpine plants in limestone (tufa).

In the garden's present alpine house plants are in pots but in the new structure they will be in their natural rock face environment.

The move will help conservation of alpine plants across the world.

For 140 years the organisation has pioneered the growing of wild-collected alpines.

However, severe space restrictions mean the vast majority of plants held in Edinburgh have never been on public display.

John Mitchell, alpines supervisor at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said: "Our existing alpine house was built in 1975 and demonstrates the traditional way of growing plants in clay pots.

"Now, we have an opportunity to show how alpine growing techniques have evolved in the last 30 years.

"The new structure will sit next to and complement the traditional house by showcasing the latest techniques in the cultivation and care of alpines.

"The tufa will form a natural rock face for the plants to grow, rather than traditional pots, and is proven to significantly improve the quality and survivability of plant material.

"This will allow us to grow a wider range of species that are in decline in habitats around the world."

Funding has come from the Scottish government, Biffa Award, The Garfield Weston Foundation, Scottish Rock Garden Club and Alpine Garden Society, as well as trusts and private donations.