To some, it is reminiscent of a maple leaf borne aloft on an autumn breeze; to others, of a herring gull just after being deliberately hit by a speeding Range Rover en route to the Magnum Bar on Albany Street.
It is in fact the new Alpine House, currently under construction at the Botanic Garden (Breaking news, 19.12.11; 23.1.12).
Work is about to start on a wall lining the brick wall at the back. This will be made from Tufa: a highly porous variety of limestone formed, as most readers will know already, by the 'precipitation of carbonate minerals from ambient temperature water bodies'. It has an internal honeycomb structure resembling Crunchies. Alpines love it.
Birds will be kept out of the 'well-ventilated' edifice by using wire mesh between the doors/walls and roof.
At the front and right-hand side, rock work will be erected, and steep banking and further rock features will go next to the path.
To the casual observer, Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden (RGBE) appears either remarkably Recession-proof or adept at sourcing new funds. In addition to the John Hope Gateway opened in 2009, it has since secured permission for a one-storey extension to the shop area (Breaking news, 16.8.11) and the redevelopment of the Playfair building at the East Gate; and currently has plans to rebuild the Botanic Cottage (Breaking news, 6.6.12). It is about to start work on a pavilion for its Aeolian Harp (Breaking news, 30.10.12; Issue 211), and has recently applied for planning consent to an ambitious programme of redevelopment and refurbishment for back buildings and glassshouses (Breaking news, 6.11.12). Does money grow on trees?
The RGBE's 'Corporate Plan' is attached below. Quite apart from its success as a research and teaching institution, and its status as one of Scotland's premier tourist attractions, the RGBE's recent progress also has commercial roots.
Following the John Hope Gateway's opening in the autumn of 2009, the Botanics Trading Company profit increased by 92 per cent to £340,000 in 2010/11. Eighty-five partner organisations were involved in almost 100 events in the Gateway, delivering a total audience of 16,700 and attracting grants totalling £250,000+.
Unlike Alpine plants, the Botanics does not appear to be clinging on by its fingertips. We wish it continued growth and success.