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 The
world’s largest geodesic domes nestle against the rock face
containing two distinct biospheres; the Rainforest biome
and the Mediterranean biome which together with the
outdoor, temperate biome, explore the amazing relationship
that exists between our human population and the world of
plants and how we depend upon them for fresh air, food, fuel
clothing, shelter and medicines. Fabulous horticulture, art,
science, education and play merge at Eden to celebrate life
and to tell stories about us and our world.
Welcome to the Rainforest biome and feel the heat!
Smell the distinctive aroma of wet leaves and warm, damp
earth. Jungle trees race up to the light at an alarming rate
with climbers hitching a ride and orchids and ferns living
high in the branches. Feel a sense of the massive, living
ecosystems of the rainforest – collectively the largest
store of carbon on earth. As you breathe deeply in this
heady, humid atmosphere you are in the company of giants,
rainforest giants – you can almost sense them sucking in
carbon dioxide from the air as they grow. Meet John Nichol,
our Rainforest supervisor who has exciting plans to
introduce for the first time some of the biggest giants of
them all, including the Brazil nut and Dipterocarpus from
Southeast Asia. John is a well-known personality in the
local media – a modern day Tarzan often seen pruning
precariously in the canopy on the end of a rope!
 Let
us continue walking and you will discover how people rely on
plants from the tropics and how they manage the land to meet
their needs and conserve the environment. Gain an insight
into life in the Malaysian rainforest – peer beyond the
contemporary Malaysian house to see a typical home garden
which provides a year-round food supply. The garden is zoned
with herbs and flowers close to the house, then vegetables
and fruit trees with other useful trees beyond. Take the
humble horseradish tree that has edible leaves, beans,
flowers and roots – no wonder they call it the miracle tree!
But it is not only food that the rainforest is capable of
providing. These remarkable ecosystems contain ancient
remedies and miracle cures.
Under
threat
Islands are home to unusual plants and animals that have
developed in these isolated environments. Island communities
are also isolated and have few resources to support their
global responsibility for biodiversity conservation. Many
countries now have conservation programmes that offer hope.
Protected species include the extraordinary Coco-de-Mer from
the Seychelles. Its seeds, the largest in the world, look
like giant bottoms, which has led to over-harvesting as
trophies and for their perceived aphrodisiac qualities. The
rare white-flowered Impatiens gordonii, a relative of the
Busy Lizzie, is found on only two islands in the Seychelles
and is under threat due to competition from introduced
species and loss of habitat. Eden is working with the
Seychelles government and the University of Reading to
propagate it and safeguard its future.
West Africa also features in this biome and in the early
days Eden staff travelled to Cameroon to learn from the
local people how they manage their land in traditional ways
using farming methods that feed the soil, feed the people
and earn money. Wind your way through West Africa and you
will see how crops like coffee and cocoa are grown under the
shade of useful forest trees like Prunus africana, used in
the treatment of prostate cancer. Walk alongside crops of
maize, ground nuts, cow peas, yams and cassava which
together provide the eight essential amino acids needed for
good health. A good, balanced diet is important for us all
and particularly so for those with immune system problems
such as those who are suffering from AIDS.
 Entering
a rainforest is for many a spiritual experience – and if
simply wondering at the sheer diversity of life isn’t enough
for you, then continue the walk through the biome to
tropical South America, where shamanic artists from Peru
have painted the biome’s cliff face with pictures of the
spirit lives of rainforest plants. These show how myths and
stories help to keep the knowledge alive in local
communities and the plants alive in their forests.
Gardens for Life
Learn about our ‘Gardens for Life’ programme, an
initiative of the Eden Project and her partners that links
schools in Kenya, India and the Gambia with those in the UK,
around the themes of food production and food education.
Schools and their communities are gardening, growing food
crops and ‘talking’ to each other to share their experiences
and learn about the major issues concerning food today in a
meaningful and interesting way. Twenty schools in Kenya’s
Riff Valley province are involved in the project. They have
planted their gardens with potatoes, maize, kale,
courgettes, beans and cabbages, (they can’t understand why
British children don’t like cabbage!) The schools exchange
produce with each other, supply their school kitchens and
sell any surpluses at market. Any money raised goes towards
the school fees of children from poorer families. The
children learn how to be ‘water-wise’ and how to deal with
any pests that might attack their crops. Pupils at St. Cleer
Primary School in Cornwall were asked what kinds of pests
they had in their garden. They said there were little white
flies and ants and they were growing marigolds and
nasturtiums for pest control. When children at the Melwa
Primary School in Kenya were asked the same question they
said their pests were monkeys and elephants and they put
strings across their garden to stop the monkeys eating
everything and they burned goat dung all around the edge
because elephants don’t like the smell!
 Welcome
now to my domain - the Mediterranean biome where I have
worked for the past 8 years. Familiarize yourself with
plants from all the Mediterranean climate zones of the world
that have adapted to survive the poor soils and harsh
conditions of these regions. Enter a typical street scene,
complete with bell tower and terracotta pots spilling over
with red pelargoniums and look out across the Mediterranean
landscape beyond. The ‘private garden’ of the Villa Rufolo,
hidden behind beautiful wrought iron gates contains some of
the most attractive and exotic plants from around the world
like the Chinese hibiscus and the blue hesper palm. Ginger
lilies provide exotic fragrance and clivias, bougainvillea
and vireya rhododendrons add even more dramatic colour to
the scene. From here a mosaic path of ‘liquid gold’, a
celebration of the long tradition of olive oil as a symbol
of light, life and divinity leads you through the olive
terraces. Subtle images of doves can be found within the
mosaic – one for each Mediterranean nation. One of the first
things you notice in this biome is the powerful scent
generated by the plants, reminding us of our holidays on
Greek islands or in Spain or the south of France. Essential
oils from lavenders, thymes, rosemary, helichrysum,
santolina, myrtle and the sweet scented brooms and citrus
blossom hang in the still air on warm, sunny days.
This biome has natural seasons and in early spring the
ghostly form of the old fig tree begins to produce fat buds
and the twisted stems of the vines spring into life among
the powerful, life-size, copper sculptures of artist Tim
Shaw, telling stories of Greek and Roman gods; stories
associated with wine, fertility, festivities, intoxication,
illusion and destruction.
Walk through the Western Cape of South Africa and marvel at
the huge Protea flowers, silver trees and colourful ericas
that make up the fynbos, the amazing aloes of Little Karoo
and the Namaqualand daisies that carpet the red earth after
rain. The Cape floral kingdom has the richest density of
different plant species on earth, globally important and
very fragile.
Although
we don’t, at present, have a geographical area in the biome
representing the Mediterranean climate zones of Australia,
we do have some fine examples of Australia’s amazing and
unique flora in our garden areas. These include
Anigozanthos spp., six species of Banksia, three
Melaleucha spp., Boronia heterophylla, several
Callistemon and my favourite – a stunning Telopea.
We are in the process of putting together a proposal for the
creation of an Australian landscape.
Green Futures
 One
of the highlights of the year for Eden staff is when we play
host to students from Green Futures College near Capetown.
The college trains unemployed young people from the
townships of the Eastern and Western Capes in conservation,
horticulture, eco-tourism and life skills.
Continue on to California, the fruit basket of the world.
California once had such a rich, natural harvest that the
Native American tribes had no need to develop agriculture.
Today the valleys are some of the most intensively farmed
areas in the world.
The Mediterranean climate produces the kitchen garden of
the world, supplying supermarkets with salad vegetables,
tomatoes, citrus fruits, stone fruits, olive oil and wine.
Cork is also a product of the Mediterranean and every time
you pull a wine cork you are helping to conserve 42
different species of bird and many other animals, plants and
insects. The Mediterranean biome is a celebration of a
largely man-made, unique and fragile environment containing
plants that are inextricably bound with the history and
future of mankind.
 Finally,
let us take a look at the outdoor biome. The plants here
come from all parts of the temperate world, including parts
of Asia, America, Australasia and the upper slopes of
tropical mountains. Most of them are not rare but are
displayed to show us the raw materials of our lives; the
plants we use every day; the plants that feed the world,
that provide drinks, medicines, fuels, the raw materials for
tomorrow’s industries and much more. But these gardens are
also for pleasure and for play. Come and enjoy ‘The Garden’,
a recent addition to the outdoor landscape, created with the
help of Banrock Station wines. Here you can relax while the
children play or pick up tips on how to make a playful
garden with the environment in mind. Our spring festival,
‘Bulbmania’ with many thousands of bulbs filling the pit
with colour, is a celebration of Cornwall as one of the
world’s premier daffodil producers. But whatever time of
year you come and join us there is always something new to
see, smell, touch, taste, learn and enjoy.
Shirley Walker - The
Eden Project
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