We’ve been away for a few days, staying with my parents at Churchwood Valley, near Plymouth. On Monday we woke to find rain pouring down, and the Eden Project just seemed like the sensible plan.
It’s truly a remarkable achievement. Two huge greenhouses in an old china clay quarry. In 1999, the location in the Cornish countryside was a desolate wasteland. Now, barely four years later, it’s quite literally a stunning example of how to turn such desolation into something fertile and stunning.
The biospheres are awe inspiring. Kew Gardens glass houses on a massive scale. And if it’s not the actual greenery that impresses, then the engineering and technological achievement is truly spectacular. Under my feet I expected to see grey and wet clay, but all around were rare and stunning plants quite literally thriving.
The project, as you’d expect, is big on green endeavours. It provides a superb model for other large installations with the Waste Neutral approach.
In a word: Spectacular. And if you ever find yourself in Devon or Cornwall, make an effort to visit. I thought I’d have seen it all after a few hours. Five hours after arriving, we all felt we’d seen something truly wonderful, and could have stayed for longer if we weren’t worn out.
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