The relationship between medicine and botany is a fundamental one that is as relevant today as when two Capital physicians founded the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), in 1670 years ago, with the express purpose of producing a reliable source of properly identified medicinal plants.
Today, RBGE is a scientific research institution with a world-wide reputation for its expertise in the study of plants and their diversity. The Garden is also a thriving tourist attraction that draws over 700,000 visitors into its tranquil grounds every year.
The Botanics have a living collection of over 15,000 species, while the herbarium holds over two and a half million preserved plants. The Library, while primarily established for RBGE’s staff and students, is open to any member of the public. It forms Scotland’s national reference library for specialist botanical literature
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