Both in the environmental and political spheres the world is changing more rapidly than ever before in human history. As places rooted in nature where people chose to relax and rejuvenate, botanic gardens can play a key role as institutions that enable citizens to adapt to a complex and uncertain future. I will show how the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), founded in 1670, finds kindred spirits in Chinese botanic gardens that are less than a century old but are now expanding as rapidly as the Chinese economy. Working together with Chinese botanic gardens, RBGE aims both to conserve plants and their habitats and to encourage changes in the way people in Scotland, China and around the world choose to live their lives. The challenges our planet faces are great but not insurmountable.