350th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

That this House warmly congratulates the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) on its 350th anniversary; acknowledges that the gardens were founded in 1670; celebrates the rich history of the RBGE noting its beginnings as a small physic garden stocked with medicinal herbs, Scottish native plants, and novel varieties imported from abroad, to its standing today as one of the world’s top four botanic gardens enjoyed by a million visitors a year; recognises the RBGE as a centre for outstanding plant research and horticulture with an extensive educational and public engagement programme; and thanks those who have made the RGBE such a success over the centuries, including Regius Keeper, Simon Milne and his team of staff, students and volunteers who are taking the organisation from strength to strength.