The Eden Project

The Eden Project   Scaleable Map

Panoramic Views: Warm Temperate Biome or Humid Tropics Biome

The Eden Project was largely Tim Smit's idea. After rescuing the Lost Gardens of Heligan in the early 1990's, Tim Smit along with experts Peter Thoday and Philip McMillan Browse employed architect and co-founder Jonathan Ball to design the unthinkable. To learn more purchase Tim Smit's excellent hardback book directly from this site. It is entitled simply Eden.

The massive project to create huge geodesic domes (biomes) housing the plants of the world in a disused china clay pit at Bodelva Quarry, St. Blazey Gate, near St.Austell opened on March 17th 2001 at a cost of £133.6 million. It has, however contributed over £700 million to the local economy since then. Eden is a not-for-profit charitable trust. With the help of over £55 million of Millennium Commission money and £12 million from the South West Regional Development Agency, the Eden Project has become a MAJOR tourist attraction and the concept has gone from strength to strength. Eden welcomed over two million visitors in its first year and has exceeded 1.2 million visitors every year since then. The site is constantly evolving and there is always something new to see. Get an annual pass and enter for free!

The covered Humid Tropics Biome and Warm Temperate Biome have a combined area of over 22,000 square metres or over 2 hectares. The larger Humid Tropics Biome is 55 metres high and 200 metres long whilst the Warm Temperate Biome although only about two-thirds the size still has an area of over 6,500 square metres. The biomes are covered in special transparent foil and between them are home to more than one million plants from all around the world.

The third Biome is largely taken for granted by visitors and some even ask where it is. The Outdoor Biome leads the visitor down from the Visitor Centre along a selection of paths. One path wends its way down to the Biome Entrance passing The Flowerless Garden, The Plants that Feed the World and The Stage en route. Other paths lead the more inquisitive visitor on a gentle journey that leads seamlessly from one section to another exhibiting how plants provide such diverse products such as crops, plant oils, rope, hemp and fibre, explain the story of brewing, plant fuels, dyestuffs and health.

Scattered throughout the site are thought provoking and humourous sculptures and artwork such as the Driftwood Horse by Heather Jansch and the Large Bee opposite the Biome entrance - by Robert Bradford. Amongst the pathways are trails for children - teaching them the story of food and promoting them to learn where their food really comes from and why the health of their planet is so important. This theme is continued later in The Core.

The Warm Temperate Biome

The Humid Tropics Biome

For more information including ticket prices please click on Eden opening and prices or contact Eden by telephone on (01726) 811911, Fax. (01726) 811912. Official website at http://www.edenproject.com.

Other Cornish Gardens