EDINBURGH’S Royal Botanic Garden has raised over £70,000 following an urgent appeal to repair damage caused by Storm Éowyn.
Destruction was caused over all four of the botanic gardens across Scotland after the storm battered the country earlier this month.
The gardens sent out an appeal for members of the public to donate towards the “significant cost” of the recovery.
They have now raised a whopping £70,000 only a week after the fundraiser was launched.
Just over a week ago, the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh announced that it had lost its tallest tree, a 166-year-old cedar, to the storm.
A few days later, they announced that the storm had also caused severe damage to a 162-year-old giant redwood at Benmore Botanic Garden.
Between 200 and 300 trees at Benmore were lost to the storm, and there was also significant damage to buildings on the site.
The severity of the destruction also meant that their third garden in Dawyck was forced to delay its spring opening.
Similarly, the fourth botanic garden in Logan will only reopen from 1 March as 50 trees were uprooted after the storm.
The Royal Botanic Garden shared images of the carnage, with trees toppled and greenhouses no longer standing.
They also stated: “All your donations, no matter the size will be directly used across our four Gardens on vital restoration.
“From the destruction of horticultural structures to the extreme damage and loss of trees and plants in our invaluable living collections, storm damage at our Gardens in recent years has resulted in many periods of difficult and expensive recovery.
“With your support, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is proactively building funds to enable and ensure our quick and effective response to future incidents of extreme weather damage at all four of our Gardens.”
Keeper at the gardens, Simon Milne, said: “We’ve got a really big job ahead of us. It’s going to cost money, which is why we have launched a public appeal.
“And I very much hope that those people who follow our work, love our gardens and love what we do will support us generously.
“I popped into the Edinburgh Garden early on Saturday and was blown away by the enthusiasm, the commitment of all the staff that come in to help in the aftermath of the storm to make things safe, to work out the priorities for future works and to start the clear up.
“And a big thank you goes to the team. But, looking at the positive future, we will clear up.
“It will take many months, we will replant and the gardens, all four gardens, are still brilliant and thank you very much for your support.”
It has been revealed that the fund raised a huge £70,000 as of this morning, and is still open for donations.
