One of the great features of the Botanic Cottage Project has been that historical research and archeological examination have been carried out at the same time. As the actual stones gave up their story, more stories emerged from the archives about how the building was used, and who lived there.
 
Three illustrated research papers have been produced for the project and are available to read from this web-site. The first of these (by archaeologist Beverley Ballin-Smith) tells the story revealed by the slow mapping and dismantling of the building. The second (by Joe Rock) gives a time-line of the entire history of the building, from being a sketch on the architect’s drawing board to its final dereliction. The third (by Jane Corrie) focuses on the Botanic Garden that once surrounded the building, and the achievement of its illustrious founder John Hope.