The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh were founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants. Most current Botanical gardens developed from these types of herb garden which were developed partly in consideration of their medicinal properties. Many of the original physic gardens owe their existence to members of the medical profession. For those unfamiliar with botany these gardens seem as mysterious as science laboratory.
The Physic Garden in Edinburgh was founded by Dr. Robert Sibbald and Dr Andrew Balfour. Sibbald’s Mausoleum can be found in the Greyfriars Kirkyard and will have been visited by anyone attending one of the many Ghost walks. The two doctors were good friends travelling and studying together. The first instance of the garden existed next to Balfour’s house before he persuaded the University to fund it and it moved to Holyrood Abbey. The garden moved once more before taking its current place in Inverleith.
