Eden Project

A living theatre of Plants in the heart of Cornwall

All life of Earth depends upon the survival of the plants that surround us - each of day of our lives, we use plants from every continent on the planet. The Eden Project is a gateway into this fascinating world of plants and people, a living theatre exploring our global garden inheritance - revealing plants as you've never seen them before. A truely unique experience, in the heart of Cornwall, enabling you to explore the amazing relationship that exists between the human population and the fascinating world of plants - and the extent that we depend on plants for our very existence.

The Project is located in two spectacular giant biomes, built in an abandoned clay pit near St. Austell in Cornwall. In one of the giant biomes is a majestic rainforest cathedral, whilst the other, is a home to fruits of the Mediterranean and flowers of South Africa and California.

Eden is a charitable scientific organisation with a deeply rooted commitment to engage the public in the role that plants play in our modern society. The project aims to communicate, educate, and entertain the public, by telling the roles played by plants, from cocoa and coffee to bananas and rubber, from plants in medicine to plants in construction.

The Eden Project, brought together a world class team in 1995. The team was set the task of creating a spectacular architectural showcase that would match Eden's horticultural ambitions. Simply to, create an international showcase for the study of human dependence on plants.

The designs involved turning a 50 metre deep, 15 hectare china clay pit, overlooking St. Austell Bay in Cornwall into a dramatic landscaped paradise that would house thousands of important and beautiful plants from three climatic zones in the world; a temperate climate and, housed in two giant conservatories, the humid tropics and warm temperate regions. In addition to this mammoth task, the grounds needed to contain a Visitor Centre, classrooms, an exhibition gallery, conferencing facilities, an amphitheatre and lake, and assorted catering and retail facilities containing plant products from all round the world.

A visit to the dramatic and fascinating place will enable you to experience;

• A fantastic range of plants from around the world.
• Marvellous stories demonstrating the many ways in which man uses plants for; food, medicine, construction, entertainment, the air we breathe and a whole lot more.
• Information on the relationship between plants and the development of our global cultures.
• A glimpse into the future, following the use of plants in new designs and technologies.
• A chance to get involved; feeling, tasting, seeing, and using plants on themed tours and in a wide range of workshops.
• Demonstrations of resource use, and the showcasing of local and global projects and initiatives working towards securing a sustainable future.
• Information and simple practical ideas on how to care for the plants, and their habitats, that provide for us. Working towards a sustainable future.