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botanical garden, originally, a collection of living plants designed chiefly to illustrate relationships within plant groups. In modern times, most botanical gardens are concerned primarily with exhibiting ornamental plants, insofar as possible in a scheme that emphasizes natural relationships. Thus, the two functions are blended: eye appeal and taxonomic order.
Established in 1670, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a leading botanic Garden and a global centre for biodiversity science, horticulture and education.
The Botanic Cottage originally stood at the entrance to a long lost incarnation of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), across the city on Leith Walk.
It was built in 1764-5, was both the home of the principal gardener and the main entrance to the Garden. It contained a classroom where every medical student was taught botany during the height of the Scottish Enlightenment.
In 2016, it was moved stone by stone across Edinburgh, and rebuilt in our Demonstration Garden, where schools, students and community groups have plots. It was rebuilt with all of the stones and timbers going back in the correct places, and finished so that it looks as good as it did 250 years ago.
