Tallest tree in Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh felled by Storm Éowyn

The tallest tree in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) has been felled by Storm Éowyn - a 95ft (29m) high deodar cedar which was planted 166 years ago.

The head of the organisation said the storm on Friday had also had a “devastating impact” on its three other sites, particularly at Benmore in Argyll.

The RBGE said the “severe damage” in Edinburgh included 15 trees uprooted or damaged beyond recovery.

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh's tallest tree was planted in 1859 | RBGE

The 120-acre Benmore garden near Dunoon had seen a “considerable number of large trees” being blown down.

The RBGE said a further 27 trees had been heavily damaged in Edinburgh, some with large broken sections hanging in their canopies, while 120 panes of glass were lost from the glasshouses.

It said visitors could see the devastation for themselves because the Garden had returned on Sunday.

Simon Milne, the RBGE’s Regius Keeper, said: “The storm has had a devastating impact, both in terms of financial cost and the loss of some of the cherished National Botanical Collection.

“All four of our gardens, located within the red weather zone, have suffered damage – particularly Benmore and Edinburgh.

The walled garden at Benmore Botanic Garden | RBGE

“While the glasshouses and buildings can be repaired, subject to resourcing, it is especially heartbreaking to lose treasured trees like the cedar in the Edinburgh garden, which stood tall for over a century before I was even born.

“Once the long and painstaking process of clearing fallen and damaged trees is complete, we will turn our focus to replanting.”

Will Hinchliffe, the RBGE’s deputy curator and an arboriculture specialist, added about the damage in Edinburgh: “A specimen yellow buckeye tree (Aesculus flava) from the eastern US has been split in two.

“The section of the tree that remains has a significant crack and the tree will need to be felled.

“The falling piece has broken five branches from a neighbouring Corylus jacquemontii, which is incredibly rare in cultivation outside of India and it is fortunate that it survived the storm.

“One birch (Betula pubescens var. pubescens) has been completely thrown, lifting the root plate into the air.

“A 100-year-old paper bark birch (Betula papyrifera) planted in 1924 has been blown flat.

“Where trees have been thrown and are stable, we have made the decision not to rope them off to allow the public to interact with the trees that have been lost.

“The teams have done a great job clearing paths and roping areas off in the interests of safety, but it is going to take weeks to address the damage.”

The RBGE said mature trees at its Benmore garden had been “stacked like cards” | RBGE

At Benmore, garden supervisor Sean McDill said: “A considerable number of large trees are down. Many more have had the tops snapped out.

“The nursery is badly damaged including the glasshouse being totally destroyed.

“The roofs of the tractor shed and several courtyard buildings, where the offices are situated, are badly damaged.

“There is also significant path and drainage infrastructure damage.”

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) said “lots of trees” had come down at its sites in the Lothians, Borders, Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, with at least 60 trees down at the Threave estate near Castle Douglas alone.

The Battle of Bannockburn centre in Stirling also suffered roof damage.

People planning to visit NTS properties should check its website for changes to opening times.