Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Spread across 70 acres in the north of the city, this historic garden offers a surprisingly diverse set of photographic subjects, from the grand Victorian glasshouses to sweeping lawns framing a famous skyline view toward Edinburgh Castle. The sight line from the lawn near the Temperate Palm House looking south gives you one of the best elevated castle compositions in the city, especially effective with a 70-200mm lens compressing the distance. Inside the glasshouses, look for dramatic light filtering through tropical canopies and reflections on humid glass panels. Early morning on weekdays is ideal, when low-angle light rakes across the rock garden and crowds are minimal. The John Hope Gateway entrance on Arboretum Place is free and easy to reach by bus. Autumn brings rich color to the tree collections, while spring fills the borders with flowering bulbs and rhododendrons. (Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom)
