HISTORICAL items dating back to the 19th and 18th century have been unearthed at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.
The various items were discovered during the second stage of the Royal Botanic Gardens Biome Project.
A blue bottle, seemingly once containing tonics for constipation and baldness was discovered in good condition on Inverleith Place.
Also discovered were what was left of two shoes, the lid of a china butter dish, a beer bottle, a horticulturalist’s turf knife, and various pieces of pottery.
The items were all discovered at different locations around the gardens alongside pieces of the old structures and fittings of the Botanics.
An 18th century bolt, part of the original fittings, was found as well as the remains of two large nails which were theorised to be part of the barrel that brought the iconic Sabal palm to Scottish shores.
The palm was kept in the barrel at the Royal Botanic Gardens throughout the 1800s before being planted in 1893.
The palm lived to be over 200 years old and was moved to the current location from the original Botanics.
The discoveries were photographed and kept by staff who called the nails “poignant”, with the history of the objects offering a glimpse into the past of the institution.
Recently destroyed by a storm, extensive work and fundraising is underway at the Botanic Gardens to restore it.
The Botanics lost hundreds of plants and trees and had several structures destroyed or damaged by a storm earlier this year.
The gardens are still accepting donations from the public through their website, asking for assistance in funding the restoration project.
