Reopening the Palm Houses
A new chapter in our 355-year story
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The reopening of our magnificent nineteenth-century Palm Houses is the first stage in the Edinburgh Biomes project, the most ambitious programme in the Garden's history.
After three years of complex restoration work, the buildings have emerged, dazzling, from their protective wrap, ready once again to safeguard our globally important Living Collection of plants.
What’s happening now?
With the main construction work scheduled for completion this summer, landscapers are preparing to create new planting zones and paths, while our Horticulture team gets 600 plants ready for their return home.
Looking ahead
An exciting new visitor experience will be unveiled, ready for the public reopening of the Palm Houses in autumn 2026. We can’t wait to welcome you back.
Explore our restoration journey
Experience our vision for the Palm Houses
Explore the restored Palm Houses with our new fly-through film, and experience the beauty and splendour of this lush green oasis in the heart of the city.
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Behind the project
Edinburgh Biomes is a once-in-a-generation project for our teams working to save ageing buildings and protect the Living Collection. Their skills, expertise and ingenuity will help to deliver this incredibly complex, landmark project.
Meet the teams
What else will the Biomes Project deliver?
FAQs
We are undertaking the painstaking process of returning our magnificent Living Collection of plants to the Palm Houses. This is a big, yet intricate task, and will take some time.
The Palm Houses will remain closed while landscaping and replanting takes place. We anticipate that they will reopen to the public in autumn 2026.
Tickets will be available online. Visitors will be invited to book tickets in advance and, as capacity is restricted, there will be specific time slots to ensure the optimal visitor experience.
If available, tickets will also be available to purchase on the day from the John Hope Gateway Visitor Centre, East Gate entrance to the Garden or from a new ticket booth near the Front Range Glasshouses.
While work continues on the next stages of our Edinburgh Biomes project, the entrance to the Palm Houses will be located north of the pond as you walk towards the Front Range Glasshouses.
Construction work has begun on a new energy centre, located in our Nursery. Once it is live, the Palm Houses will benefit from a new heating system which will significantly reduce the Garden’s carbon emissions. Energy will comprise of renewable technologies with modern and more efficient boilers, making substantial energy and carbon savings.
In the longer term, we are seeking to introduce next generation technologies, perhaps a switch to hydrogen fuel which may become more readily available in the future.
The energy centre will open in spring 2027. Until then, the Palm Houses will be heated using our existing gas boilers.
Our A-listed Front Range Glasshouses, built in 1967, are also in need of substantial repair and are currently closed. While awaiting repair, these Glasshouses are vital for the complex ‘plant decant’ process and are being used to temporarily store plants removed from other areas under renovation.
Restoration of the Front Range Glasshouses will be undertaken as part of our ongoing Edinburgh Biomes landmark restoration and development programme.
Stories from the Edinburgh Biomes
Discover more stories from the Edinburgh Biomes project.
Find out more