If you’re heading to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) sometime in the next five months, check out the Grasslands exhibition at the John Hope Gateway.
Grasses are some of the most important plants but underappreciated plants on Earth. Often overlooked, these landscapes play a vital role in storing carbon, regulating water cycles and sustaining diverse animals – from pollinating bees to grazing elephants. As grasslands decline, we’re not just losing vital habitats for wildlife, but also deep ecological knowledge, cultural identities and sustainable livelihoods.
This exhibit showcases the diversity, beauty, and usefulness of grasslands with photographs of UK grasses by Rebecca Marr, beautiful handmade crafts, and exquisite botanical illustrations.
The exhibit also highlights the fascinating grassland research taking place at RBGE by the Global Grassy Group as well as the work of collaborators and colleagues around the world.
Grassland online course
The Gardens has also developed an online short course, in partnership with NatureScot, which shares knowledge and practices to help increase the biodiversity value of amenity grasslands, including parks, gardens, and urban environments. It’s ideal for land-based professionals such as horticulturists, landscapers, and nature conservation practitioners, or for those who just want to learn more. The course is called Nature Positive Amenity Grasslands.
The exhibition is FREE and runs until January 10, 2027.
