Heritage & Culture · Heritage site

Edinburgh Palm Houses Restoration

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has restored its two 19th-century Palm Houses, which shelter collections of palms, ferns and rare plants.[1]

Current position

The Palm Houses reopened on 2 October 2026 after five years of restoration. Work on the wider Edinburgh Biomes programme continues, and the Front Range glasshouses remain closed.

Restoration work

Specialists repaired the historic ironwork and sandstone and made more than 5,000 bespoke panes of glass. The two buildings have been reunited as a continuous visitor space.
Horticultural teams protected hundreds of rare and scientifically important plants throughout the restoration.

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Latest developments

Heritage & Culture · 2 October 2026

Edinburgh’s restored Palm Houses reopen

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s historic Palm Houses reopened to the public on 2 October after five years of restoration. The work repaired ironwork and stone, replaced over 5,000 glass panes and returned hundreds of rare plants to the buildings. This completes the Palm Houses phase of Edinburgh Biomes; the other glasshouses remain closed.

Sources