Palm Trees in Scotland

I love interjecting facts about Scotland into discussions where I can. Recently, I was in a discussion about trees, where I noted my favourite type of tree is the palm tree. I would be remiss if I didn't note that Scotland has a few palm trees. "Scotland has palm trees?", I hear you asking in the back of your mind. Yes indeed!

The first, and perhaps only, palm trees I have seen in Scotland were in the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens. With some more research I found there are other locations in which they grow, too, including Plockton. From the National Trust for Scotland website:

The picturesque village of Plockton is often referred to as the ‘Jewel of the Highlands’. Palm trees grow in the sea-facing gardens; in the distance, high hills and majestic woodland rise above the crystal-clear waters. Boats bobbing in the bay and tree-covered islets all add to the panorama.

Some other facts include:

• The national animal of Scotland is the unicorn.
• The U.S. National Parks Service was started by John Muir, a Scot.
• Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, was Scottish.
• There is a royal stone called the Stone of Destiny. How the stone was returned to Scotland is a fascinating story.