The Chapel Guest House

Eden Project Vision

by sandysmith

In 1994 Tim Smit was driving round the china clay quarry landscape around St Austell and conceived the idea of building the world's largest greenhouse. A disused china clay pit, over 60 metres deep and the size of 35 football pitches was discovered for this dream.

Work began in 1998 and in May 2000 the first phase was open to the public and in MaArch 2001 it was fully open. The whole vision centres on a spectacular theatre in which to tell the story of human dependence on plants - it really is educational and fun at the same time.

Cornish Bananas

by Geoff_Wright

I've never seen bananas growing in Cornwall before, although they probably do grow in glasshouses in the South. Here are some bananas from the Garden of Eden!

The Tropical Biome has a controlled humidity, maintained by automatic misting, and a temperature kept between 18 and 35 degrees Celcius. The temperature is maintained by the use of the sun's heat, which by day heats the massive clay pit walls (cliffs)., therefore the use of non-renewable fossil fuels like gas, oil and coal, is not necessary. The heat from the natural walls is slowly released back into the Biome during the night time.

Food for Fodder

by freya_heaven

This photo looks over several different plant areas. The largest being Food for Fodder & Flowers for the Garden. I have to admit not to being very green fingered myself, by the write ups & information given on all the plant here make it a fascinating visit.

The building at the top is the Visitor Centre where you enter Eden. The yellow & wooden building in the front it the "Pastypod" well you are in Cornwall! (~_~)

A Day in The Garden of Eden

by Geoff_Wright

"The Big Story of a Small clay Pit"

The South Cornish town of Saint Austell is'n really famous for anything much that I know of. It's a place that visitors usually just pass through, on their way down to Penzance, or other more interesting places. However, in 2001 all that began to change, and here follows a little story of how a rather insignificent China Clay Pit that no one had ever heard of, has been transformed into one of the Wonders of the Modern World.

Our visit was on Sunday 9th May 2004. 70 photos to follow, and lots of info too. Just be a little patient please! Thanks.

The project was to construct a botanical garden and education centre within a former china clay quarry. A sheltered micro-climate has now been created since the complex is below the surrounding ground level. The construction of enormous greenhouses (biomes) has enabled large numbers of the worldýs tropical and mediterranean species to be represented within the plantings.

The first part of the development was completed in 2001, but work is continuing on a third Biome, due to be completed in about 2005. The full story starts when you start reading the tips, below.