Issue 40 / 2019 / £2

CALLING ALL NEIGHBOURS!CALLING ALL NEIGHBOURS!

On the first weekend in June The Big Lunch will bring millions of people together to share food, have fun and get to know their neighbours better.

Join in, celebrate and make connections in your community.

CALLING ALL NEIGHBOURS!

Get your free pack at thebiglunch.com

#TheBigLunch

The Eden Trust, registered charity No. 1093070.

Contact us:

Editorial +44(0) 1726 818812 email: rlowe@edenproject.com

Membership queries +44 (0) 1726 811932 email: membership@edenproject.com

Front cover image: African umbrella trees, Musanga cecropioides. Photo: David Traynor

Eden Magazine is published by Eden Project Publications Eden Project, Bodelva, St Austell Cornwall PL24 2SG UK

All profits from this magazine go to support the charitable work of the Eden Trust.

Editor Robert Lowe Assistant Editor Mike Petty Design Robin Owen

Printed locally by Deltor Communications Limited, Cornwall.

Issue

40

Regulars4 News

6 Horticultural Highlights

24 EdenBook Reviews

26 Eden Recipe

27 Eden Make

28 Eden Shop

29 Eden Diary

Features8 'One touch of nature makes

the whole world kin'EmmaFowle

12 Nature's WayHeidiMorgan

16 A Living Laboratory DrRachelWarmington

20 On a mission AlessiodiCapua

A stronger bond with nature is good for everyone. The latest evidence suggests that being out in the open air for as little as five minutes brings significant benefits, while longer-term immersion can lower blood pressure, cortisol levels (a chemical indicator of stress), and boost the immune system. Playing or exercising outside in nature could be the key to longer, happier lives, yet there are still significant barriers for those who stand to benefit the most. There is an epidemic of mental health problems in adults and children, obesity is rising and increasing numbers of people report feeling isolated and lonely. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the UK is classed as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.

Eden’s mission has always been to connect people with each other and the living world. In this issue, we take a look at some of our pilot projects in tune with that mission which aim to understand the barriers people face when it comes to getting outside in nature and find ways to overcome them together. Heidi Morgan and Dr Stuart Smith describe how Nature’s Way takes a nature-based approach to social prescribing, and Emma Fowle looks at how Eden’s Deep Roots New Shoots and It’s Great Outdoors projects help grandparents and families play together in nature. Also in this issue, Dr Rachel Warmington, our Science Team manager, explains how the Rainforest Biome helps scientists get to grips with the realities of rainforest science and our new Director of Philanthropy, Alessio di Capua, talks about our future plans.Robert Lowe, Editor.

CALLING ALL NEIGHBOURS!CALLING ALL NEIGHBOURS!

On the first weekend in June The Big Lunch will bring millions of people together to share food, have fun and get to know their neighbours better.

Join in, celebrate and make connections in your community.

CALLING ALL NEIGHBOURS!

Get your free pack at thebiglunch.com

#TheBigLunch3

Looking North

Eden News

Our vision for Eden Project North in Morecambe takes its inspiration from its location and features a series of pavilions inspired by mussels – something Morecambe is famed for. Eden is working with local partners to create a seaside resort for the 21st century. It will offer lidos, gardens, performance spaces as well as immersive experiences and observatories.

A hard day’s night Last November, Eden hosted its fifth Sleep Out to raise funds for two local charities. The annual event in aid of St Petroc’s Society and the Amber Foundation, which saw 100 sponsored volunteers bedding down on hard ground in front of the Biomes for a night, raised £17,000 for the two charities. Sleep Out is part of Eden’s role as ‘Cornwall’s Village Hall’ – a place that supports local charities and community programmes.

GROW Colombia Home to 10% of the planet’s known species, Colombia is classed as ‘megadiverse’ by the United Nations. GROW Colombia is a 4-year project to conserve biodiversity by strengthening Colombian research capacity in biological sciences and socio-economics. Led by the Earlham Institute in Norfolk, the project involves a range of organisations in Colombia and the UK, including the Eden Project. Eden is helping to support the organisations and researchers on the ground in Colombia to bring the project’s amazing stories of biodiversity to life for local people. The project is funded by the UK’s Global Challenges Research Fund.

Eden Sleep Out is a collaboration between the Eden Project and St Petrocs and the Amber Foundation.

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Win a Rathlee’s Rum cocktail set

Art at the heart of Eden Artist Julian Opie has unveiled a new installation at the centre of the Outdoor Gardens. The piece, entitled Crowd 4., is a four-metre tall monolith sculpture with an animation played on a double-sided LED screen. The film features a number of people crossing the screen, creating a monument of a crowd or flock. The commission is part of Eden’s new role as an art venue in mid-Cornwall.

Through the use of LED screens, Julian aims to echo the idea of urban signage, usually used to give signals or commands. The figures have been drawn so as to retain their individual character, without being overly detailed. Julian’s vision is that visitors to the Eden Project will feel at ease with the figures and enjoy their endless movement.

Julian chose the figures featured in the new installation randomly as they passed by his studio in Central London; he then invited them to be filmed walking on a treadmill. This allowed him to depict a realistic and richly diverse set of characters in terms of dress, posture and gait.

Julian’s works can be found in many public art collections, including Tate, British Museum, Victoria & Albert, Arts Council, British Council and National Portrait Gallery in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, ICA in Boston USA, Essl Collection in

Rathlee’s Rum is column-distilled in Latin America before arriving on the shores of Cornwall in charred white oak barrels, to be delicately blended with the purest Cornish water. It’s smooth on the palate with notes of tropical fruit, honey and vanilla, and a warm peppery spice finish.

Two lucky winners can grab themselves one of these handsome rum cocktail sets, containing a 70cl bottle of Rathlee’s Rum, a bespoke handmade ceramic mug and a recipe card, courtesy of Rathlee Distilling.Enter at: edenproject.com/rum-comp by 1 April 2019

Vienna, IVAM in Spain, The Israel Museum in Jerusalem and Takamatsu City Museum of Art in Japan. His work also graces the cover of 2000’s The Best Of… by Blur.

For more information on Julian Opie and his work go to: www.julianopie.com

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by Shirley Walker

Horticultural HighlightsOutdoor GardensFlowering bulbs often herald the arrival of spring, carpeting the Blue Border, White Border and Plane Tree Steps with a succession of fragrant Narcissus, Crocus, beautiful hellebores in a range of hues, Erythronium, or dog-tooth violets, delicate, three-petalled Trillium, Iris and deliciously scented hyacinths. In the peace and tranquillity of the Japanese Garden, the Edgeworthia is in full bloom.

Tea, that quintessentially British beverage, is making a welcome return, with a plantation of Camellia sinensis growing just outside the Rainforest Biome. Take a look at those tender, juicy young shoots – they are expertly selected and plucked by hand, providing work for thousands of pickers and packers. Most of the leaves that go into teabags do not come from India or China, but are bought at auction in the coastal city of Mombasa in Kenya. From here, the tea trail makes its way through

the epic landscapes of Kenya and Uganda, and continues around the world.

Several species of Cistus are flowering in Plants for a Changing Climate. These beautiful evergreen shrubs, native to the whole Mediterranean region, the Canary Islands and Madeira, are an important constituent of the flora of maquis and garrigue – stony, arid scrublands, roadsides and woodland. They have showy flowers in white and several shades of pink, rather like single roses – hence the common name, ‘rock rose’ – and each day’s flowers are borne in great profusion, but last for only a few hours, scattering their silky petals on the ground. The leaves are adapted to reduce water loss under the Mediterranean sun, and some rock roses exude a fragrant, sticky gum called ladanum, used in perfumery. Despite being native to the Mediterranean, most are reasonably hardy, and thrive in our gardens.

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Mediterranean BiomeThe iconic landscapes of the Mediterranean Basin are at their best in spring; the terraced olive groves are carpeted with aromatic herbs like thyme, sage, mint and lavender, accompanied by spring-flowering bulbs and annuals. The dense vegetation of the maquis is at its most colourful, as gorgeous Cistus and their tiny relatives, yellow helianthemums, are in bloom, along with highly perfumed white Spanish broom, spiny yellow Calicotome and the beautiful silvery bindweed, Convolvulus cneorum. In South Africa, Zantedeschia, Erica, aromatic Agathosma and the towering Wachendorfia are in bloom, and in Western Australia, colourful kangaroo paw is still carpeting the earth amongst the grass trees.

In mid-spring you are greeted by the exuberant Madeiran geranium, Geranium maderense, with its gorgeous magenta flowers, and in the nearby Courtyard Garden, you will find a wonderful collection of colourful plants, including Clivia, Veltheimia and Begonia, followed by the bird of paradise, Strelitzia reginae. The Grapevines have burst into life, displaying bright green ribbons of fresh spring growth, and the centre of the Biome is home to a dazzling display of tulips.

As the season progresses, and the tulips begin to fade, a fabulous display of Persian buttercups,

Ranunculus asiaticus, follow – a stunning collection of showy, rose-like blooms in shades of deepest pink, purple, red, yellow and orange. They are bred from wild forms found in the eastern Mediterranean and south-west Asia, and are used as ornamentals and cut flowers. Close by, in Western Australia, Melaleuca and Callistemon are in bloom, and the striking black and green kangaroo paw, Macropidia fuliginosa, continues to flower. In South Africa, look out for the beautiful Watsonia and the purple-flowered, Table Mountain Pelargonium, beyond the Pepsi Pool (named after the Pepsi Pools in Eden District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa, whose water is a dark brown colour).

Rainforest BiomeBig is beautiful in the rainforest this spring, as one of our biggest trees, Triplochiton scleroxylon, from tropical West Africa, is displaying its fresh new growth, along with giant bamboos and the enormous Bismarck palm – all vying for your attention. The beautiful jade vine, Strongylodon macrobotrys, is in flower by the entrance to the Biome, displaying its pendant trusses of turquoise, claw-shaped blooms, and the jaboticaba or Brazilian grape tree, Plinia cauliflora, is in blossom.

Aroid is the common name for members of the Arum family, Araceae, whose ‘flowers’ are a combination of spathe and spadix, known as the inflorescence – a distinguishing feature of all aroids. The foul-smelling ones are pollinated by flies and beetles, while bees are attracted by those with sweet scents. Two aroids displaying their elegant blooms this spring are Anthurium and Spathiphyllum or peace lily. Creeping mounds of the bush clock vine, Thunbergia erecta, are massed with beautiful purple flowers, and torch ginger is flowering in the Malaysian Home Garden. Outdoor living the Malaysian way stimulates all the senses, and this Malaysian Home Garden is no exception, also bursting with an array of newly planted crops. Hot, spicy chillies, aromatic coriander, aubergines and okra, or lady’s fingers, can all be found as you wander through this warm, luxuriant and intimate space. Close by, the Mysore clock vine, Thunbergia mysorensis, is once again weaving its magic over the archway, with beautiful pink, trumpet-shaped flowers, and the rosy periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus, is also flowering amidst the verdant foliage of the rainforest. This pretty plant bears masses of pink flowers with darker red centres, and is endemic to Madagascar, where it is endangered in the wild.

Look north: the road to the Peace village inside the DMZ. Guillaume B/Shutterstock.com

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Nature-based play has always been deeply rooted in Eden’s mission. But with fewer and fewer children spending enough time outdoors, we take a look at why helping families of all shapes and sizes to play outside is more important now than at any point in Eden’s history.It's early morning in the Mediterranean Biome and a group of grandparents sit in a semicircle, their grandchildren at their feet. Matt, who is leading today’s Music in the Med session, begins to sing: ‘Hello everybody, it’s such a sunny day…’ As if on cue, the sun breaks through the clouds and lights up the Biome for the first time that morning.

The session is part of Deep Roots New Shoots, and as well as music, there are wild walks and even a specific Little Eden for Grandparents providing intergenerational outdoor play sessions on our outer estate. With grandparents playing an increasingly significant role in providing childcare especially for working and single-parent families, the specific needs of this group of carers bear consideration; many say returning to childcare is daunting, citing mobility, energy levels and confidence as barriers to active play. If we want to continue helping families to connect with nature, helping grandparents engage with outdoor play is crucial.

As the session progresses, baskets filled with chiffon scarves appear. Matt plays ‘The Bird Song’ and the group are encouraged to flap their ‘wings’, the jewel-coloured scarves catching the early morning sun. Matt takes his time, introducing sounds and actions for more birds, worms and trees; slowly more children, and grown-ups too, stand up and start to move around. The Deep Roots sessions are designed for this: inclusive and accessible,

'One touch of nature makes the whole world kin': why Eden is forging connections between families and the natural world.Emma Fowle

Opposite: A den built for two. One of the activities from the It's Great Outdoors boxes pilot programme. Photo: Alex Wheatley.

providing children with active play opportunities and helping grandparents to grow in confidence too.

‘Caring for other people’s children – even your own grandchildren – can be an anxious experience,’ says Emma Tolley, who coordinates Deep Roots New Shoots. ‘Creating a safe environment that can also provide inspiration and a way to engage with nature-based play more easily is really important.’

Nature-based play has been at the core of Eden’s being from the very beginning. Creating a sense of playfulness, awe and wonder are central to our visitor experience. Back in 2006, inspired by Richard Louv’s seminal book Last Child in the Woods, Eden launched Mud Between Your Toes. This first large-scale summer programme was a response to Louv’s assertion that ‘for a new generation, nature is more abstraction than reality’ and an attempt to counter his concern that ‘as we grow more separate from nature, we continue to separate from one another physically’. Mud… was designed to reconnect families with nature and each other, and saw armies of families building dens and embracing their wild side.

Today, the popularity of forest schools and a plethora of high-profile initiatives such as the National Trust’s 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾, along with our own Little Eden, mean that there is greater awareness than ever before that spending time outside is good for

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everyone, but particularly for young children. Children who regularly play outdoors have healthier immune systems, better language skills, are fitter and have fewer behavioural problems. Outdoor play helps children learn to manage risks, build relationships and develop their imagination. It establishes healthy habits and active lifestyles, and encourages a sense of connection with the natural world. Recent research highlighted in Linda Geddes’s new book Chasing the Sun: The new science of sunlight and how it shapes our bodies and minds suggests that too little exposure to daylight can affect everything from our hormone levels to our eyesight. But despite all these benefits, many children still do not play outdoors enough. Child obesity and mental health problems are rising. Parents work increasingly longer hours and report a lack of time and confidence when it comes to playing with their children outside. Why, despite all the research and initiatives, is the problem getting worse? And what is Eden doing about it?

‘Every generation has to find the confidence to play outside,’ says Juliet Rose, Eden’s Communities Programme Development Manager. ‘So, it’s an ongoing conversation with families. We know that people are much more likely to respect the things that they have an emotional attachment to, so if we want children to grow up feeling connected to the natural world, we have

to invest in helping each generation of parents – and grandparents – overcome the barriers to playing outside with their children, whatever these are.’

Alongside Deep Roots, we also saw an opportunity to reach a far wider audience that was too good to miss. Was it possible to use our on-site experience of creating awe-filled moments of outdoor fun, alongside our knowledge of running national mass-participation programmes such as The Big Lunch, to inspire families across the UK to help each other become more confident in playing outside? We designed six It’s Great Outdoors boxes, containing everything needed to run a nature-based play session for families with children under five, and sent them to 24 locations across the UK. The boxes were designed to work in any outdoor setting, rural or urban, and covered themes such as Build, Perform, Imagine and Chatter. The groups catalogued their experiences, sharing photos, tips and feedback with us and each other, allowing us to gather crucial information about the challenges of modern family life, and how to best support parents and carers to raise a new generation of children who are connected to, care about, and are supported by our living world.

In their 2013 report, Connecting with Nature, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) described a positive connection to nature as being ‘about long-held attitudes and beliefs, rather than the kind of short-term, warm feeling we experience after a day outdoors.’ This means that programmes such as It’s Great Outdoors, which help families grow in confidence and make nature-based play part of their own long-term habits, wherever they are, could play a crucial role in engaging people at a much larger scale than we could ever reach on site.

Back in the Mediterranean Biome, the singing continues. ‘Expanding people’s nature-based vocabulary helps them talk about the environment we live in,’ says Emma. And talking about nature is important, if we want people to feel connected to it, to care about it, to want to preserve it. It is an uphill battle: a recent article in Science concluded that children could now better identify Pokémon characters than British wildlife, and a 2017 RSPB survey found that half the adults surveyed ‘couldn’t identify a house sparrow – but nine out of ten said they wanted children to learn about common British wildlife.’ As the session draws to a close, the children and adults line up to form the ‘Eden train’ and Matt leads the group away from the circle of now-empty chairs, the sounds of his ukulele and generations singing nature songs together echoing across the Biome.

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Deep Roots New ShootsDeep Roots New Shoots provides ideas to support children’s early years development and gives grandparents and their grandchildren an opportunity to meet and interact with others at the Eden Project. So far, the programme has delivered 259 sessions to 16,529 participants.

If you regularly look after your grandchildren, are looking for fun activities to do together, and would like to meet other grandparents and grandchildren, join our Deep Roots New Shoots sessions. Times and dates vary, see edenproject.com/grandparents

Little Eden Set on Eden’s magical wild perimeter and run by Eden’s Schools Team, Little Eden’s weekly sessions are for parents and under-fives. The programme celebrates the great outdoors through games, stories, quests, making and creating, and campfire cooking. The sessions have proved hugely popular and Deep Roots New Shoots now offers special sessions for grandparents.

edenproject.com/little-edenedenproject.com/grandparents

The challenges we face • Today, 21% of children regularly play

outside; when their parents were children, the figure was 71%.

• As little as five minutes of ‘green exercise’ can improve mood and self-esteem.

• One in three children could not identify a magpie; half could not tell the difference between a bee and a wasp; yet nine out of ten could recognise a Dalek.

• Children spend twice as much time on screens inside as they do playing outside.

• Less than a quarter of children regularly use their local ‘patch of nature’, compared to over half of all adults when they were children.

• Research shows that children use five times as many words when they play outdoors compared to indoors.

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Nature’s Way Eden’s Social Prescribing ProgrammeHeidi Morgan, Nature’s Way Programme Manager

Photos: Ian Kingsnorth

It is day two of the New Year and a group of people are gathered in one of the Eden Project’s cafés. There is a welcoming hubbub as everyone chats about how they spent the festive period. If you didn’t know better you would think they were a visiting tour group, but they are in fact one of our health and well-being walking groups. Each one of the walkers is living with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or a cardiac condition; what makes them unusual, however, is that their GP has prescribed them a weekly dose of walking at Eden.

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certainly received a warm welcome when we approached St Austell Healthcare, our nearest GP surgery, to create our joint social prescribing service with them.

Eden also runs its own social prescribing programme called Nature’s Way. As the name suggests, all our activities are carried out in a natural setting, as our experience has demonstrated that being in nature is fundamental to our mental and physical wellbeing and it can make us feel more connected to

each other and the living world. Not only that, we believe the more we can see and feel the benefits of our connection to nature the easier it is to make choices about living a sustainable life.

Our therapeutic horticulture programme is our most intensive nature-based programme. Clients

Across the other side of the site in a peaceful garden attached to one of Eden’s old farm buildings another group of people are unpacking tools from the shed and discussing their plans for the day. These people have also been given a prescription to come to Eden, this time to join our therapeutic horticulture programme to support them with managing their anxiety and depression.

Prescriptions like this are called social prescribing. They are new territory for many GPs but the idea is catching on fast. Many of us, GPs included, are realising that fulfilling our increasing healthcare needs presents new and difficult challenges for our society, challenges that in many cases cannot be met by our existing health services because the problems are social and lifestyle-related. Social prescribing is a service that enables GPs, nurses and other health professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services offered by charities, community organisations and voluntary sector organisations. We

come on a weekly basis for 12 months. During this time, they have the opportunity to learn horticultural skills and regain life skills such as planning, communication and working as a group. People are encouraged to come up with ideas and suggestions for developing the garden. Friendships are built, meals shared and crops taken home or given to others as gifts. Small actions for some of us maybe, but when you live alone, eat alone and feel you have little to offer these small

actions can make a big difference in someone’s life. After taking part in our programme participants have said that they feel more confident, they have a stronger feeling of self-worth and that they have had a restorative experience in the garden. Sixty-five percent have reported feeling less isolated and 70% of

Matty, Therapeutic horticulturalist, working with one of our participants.

‘I’ve had to struggle with some difficult times (mentally and psychologically) in the past but coming to Eden is a crucial jigsaw piece for my mental good heath.’

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Walking groupsOur walking groups are friendly, welcoming and supportive. It doesn’t matter who you are, how long you have had your condition, what your level of fitness is, if you live with diabetes, COPD or a cardiac condition you can come each week to Eden to join in with a walk at a level that suits you. We are seeing some fantastic results; people are reducing their medication and increasing their well-being, and some of the diabetic walkers have lowered their blood sugar to the non-diabetic range.

‘I never believed I could change my diabetic diagnosis but now I have.’ John, diabetic walking group.

Walk and Talk Eden Lunch ClubLike all communities up and down the country we have many older people living near to Eden who are not able to get out and about and do not see or talk to anyone regularly. Each week twenty people who are over 65, live alone and feel that they are at risk of loneliness, come to Eden to walk in nature and share a meal.

‘I never thought I would make new friends at 90!’

Why is St Austell Healthcare involved with social prescribing (SP)?The King’s Fund estimates that 15% of health and well-being is determined by healthcare systems like the NHS, but many of the common problems that we see in the surgery (e.g. some depression, back pain and type 2 diabetes) have a large social, environmental and lifestyle component. We felt we were letting patients down by just prescribing medications. We wanted to design a new pathway that could help our patients with problems such as inactivity, low self-esteem, social isolation, poor nutrition, unemployment etc. Having set up the social prescribing scheme three years ago and seen many lives completely turned around, we are even more convinced that this is the right approach for many of our patients and for the good of our community. What does Eden bring to SP from your perspective?The relationship between Eden and St Austell Healthcare is a unique cross-sector collaboration in England. The partnership has helped hundreds of people, some of whom have had their lives completely changed around. Eden is a safe, inspiring and therapeutic environment.

The principle of bringing people together and helping to connect them with nature is fundamental to the success of the programme. Everyone at Eden has been extremely welcoming to our patients, some of whom would not have had the confidence to venture out of their own homes without such support. Where do you see SP going in the future?We have already managed to spread and scale this work in St Austell and across Cornwall. There is growing momentum behind social prescribing in the UK now and I’m proud that we have helped to drive that agenda. I think that the future of social prescribing locally is to develop more cross-sector collaborative relationships, to attract more funding to support this work and to continue to collect evidence of its positive impact. This year we want to launch an online directory of activities and an educational programme for people to implement the social prescribing principles amongst their friends and families. Ultimately, we want to help support communities to be more connected, more vibrant, happier and healthier.

Q&A from Dr Stewart Smith Social prescribing lead, St Austell Healthcare.

participants are now either working, in education or volunteering.

Due to the success of our therapy garden we plan to extend our provision to a market garden, which will enable us to grow and sell produce, bringing more opportunities for our clients as well as some income.

We believe social prescribing is more than an additional support for the health service, although it certainly does provide that. It is about a fundamental shift in the way we support each other within our communities. Organisations like Eden which can host sociable, active, supportive groups in a safe, calm nature-based setting can play a vital role in enabling this shift to happen.

Other social prescribing activities

Photo: Kathryn Nichols.

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A LIVING LABORATORY HOW THE RAINFOREST BIOME PROVIDES A TESTBED FOR RESEARCHDr Rachel Warmington, Science Team Manager

The Rainforest Biome at Eden is a unique environment, with over 1,000

plants from all over the world, and it attracts numerous enquiries from

researchers wanting to work within this special ecosystem. In 2018 we

decided to form the Eden Project Rainforest Research Group, bringing

together a core team of researchers from the Universities of Exeter,

Plymouth and West of England, Bristol, who will help us encourage

collaborations between institutions and build on past research to help

answer questions on rainforest, soil and restoration ecology, as well

as tropical crops. Our aim is to develop innovative research and to test

equipment and methodologies, whilst offering training for students.

Experimental approaches that are difficult to develop in real rainforests

can be perfected using the Rainforest Biome. The research group’s

work is focused around seven research themes, which aim to combine

Eden’s mission and the scientific and environmental challenges of our

time: resilience, sustainability, food security, soil development, nutrient

cycling, horticulture and micro-organisms. The projects described in this

article are a snapshot of the range of research the Science team at Eden

is involved in. We are always developing new ideas and meeting with

potential new collaborators, ensuring that the scientific potential of the

Rainforest Biome here at Eden is realised.

Bananas and plantains (Musa species) are a vital source of food in many tropical and subtropical countries, and are the most popular fruit in industrialised countries. Although ‘Cavendish’ bananas dominate the world export trade, hundreds of different bananas and plantains are grown for local consumption. Looking at the genetic sequences of crop plants reveals variations in genes that can be used in breeding programmes, helping to identify genes that could offer disease resistance for example.

While there are genetic profiles of the wild parent species of cultivated bananas (e.g. Musa acuminate and Musa balbisiana) there are many gaps in our knowledge when it comes to the genetic differences between different types of banana. The Eden Project's Musa collection contains a diverse range of bananas and this project will map the genes of 25 different samples to improve our understanding of genetic variation within key species.

How does the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function change as rainforest is converted to oil palm plantation? Josie Phillips and Dr Farnon Ellwood (University of West of England, Bristol)

Banana genetic resources at Eden Project

with Dr David Studholme (University of Exeter)

This project is investigating the environmental impact of oil palm expansion and developing new strategies to improve the sustainability of the industry. Much of this work focuses on the inhabitants of bird’s nest ferns (the tropical epiphyte, Asplenium nidus), and developing the bird’s nest fern into a general ecosystem model

to answer complex ecological questions, such as the impact of habitat disturbance on decomposition and nutrient cycling. The Rainforest Biome provided the means to test out the experimental procedures saving significant time out in the field which could instead be devoted to the research itself.

Above: Eden's banana collection is of scientific interest. Below: Our collection of oil palms provide a test bed for researchers. Photo: Kathryn Nichols.

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The suppression of Panama disease by intercropping with Allium tuberosum, and the effect on the soil microbiome

with Dr Dan Bebber (University of Exeter)

Panama disease of bananas is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc). It has already destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of banana plantations in Australia, Asia and Africa. The emergence of new races of Foc, particularly Tropical Race 4 (TR4), means modern banana cultivars are no longer resistant. Foc is a soil-borne pathogen and effective soil treatments are so detrimental to the environment they are prohibited almost everywhere. However, research suggests that Chinese chives (Allium

tuberosum) could help control the disease. The plant’s roots have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties which may help suppress the disease when planted amongst banana plants. Molecular work is being carried out at the University of Exeter to see if this makes a difference and will be used to help develop student projects and provide valuable practical laboratory training for undergraduates. The work has already inspired a school’s workshop in our new Invisible Worlds Laboratory.

Learn more about these key cropsWe’ve collaborated with the University of Exeter on a massive open online course (MOOC) which features some of the key crops from the Rainforest Biome. The course runs throughout the year, see the website below for more information.

Grand Challenges: Food for ThoughtJoin Dr Christopher Laing from the University of Exeter as we look at where our food comes from and what impact it has on our environment. With guest speakers from The Eden Project we look at case studies on the production of bananas, coffee and palm oil, as well as considering the pillars of sustainability and the importance of pollinators. This course aims to educate you in the way that every human being can reduce their impact on our planet and inspire you to make global connections to tackle sustainability issues.www.futurelearn.com/courses/grand-challenges-food-for-thought

Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum) being grown at our nursery could hold the answer to holding Panama disease at bay.

Teachers on one of our science workshops that draws on research undertaken at Eden.

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Six months ago, I was fortunate enough to be appointed as Eden’s first Director of Philanthropy. After a decade raising funds for RHS and Kew Gardens, the opportunity to join such a young and vibrant charity was one I could not turn down. I have found myself amidst an energetic team with ambitious plans for the future and a remarkable culture.

Eden is, at heart, an educational charity, carrying out important work in Cornwall, the UK and – increasingly – on an international scale. You can read in this issue about our ground-breaking social prescribing activities and how our scientific work can address some of the issues we are all facing. Our beautiful global garden contains the largest collection of economic plants in the UK and demonstrates how each one of us can make a difference and have a positive impact on the environment. Eden’s main role remains to be a convener, bringing people together to broker challenging conversations.

We want to continue to increase public understanding of how the natural world works, to help build more resilient communities across the globe. We also want to help answer one of the most challenging questions currently facing humanity: how can the world’s growing population be fed in a sustainable way?

In the coming months we will work on more exciting projects both at home and further afield. These ambitious plans include: a brand-new outdoor play area, becoming the best educational facility in the field of natural philosophy, upscaling our community and social prescribing work and creating an updated exhibit on the themes of crop/human evolution, crop breeding and food security. I shall keep you posted as the plans develop further!

One certainty is that substantial investment is required, and we will be looking for help from various sources. Philanthropy will play a major role in helping us achieve our goals. We are lucky to count you, our readers, as supporters and I hope you will assist us in expanding your Eden Project, perhaps by donating a small amount on top of your Membership, giving in celebration or memory through our beautiful Bronze Leaves, or leaving the gift of wonder for generations to come by including Eden in your Will. We have also introduced a new Patrons scheme – another great way to support us while benefitting from invitations to unique events and special tours. You can choose from two levels (£1,000 or £5,000 annually) – find out more at edenproject.com/patrons.

Every donation, regardless of its size, counts towards growing the Eden Project you cherish. I hope you will join us on this journey.

Thank you for your continuing commitment, it means a lot to us. It is an exciting time to be associated with Eden!

On a mission Alessio di Capua, Director of Philanthropy

Photo: Emily Whitfield-Wickes

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Around 100 biospherians listened to Mark Nelson’s Biosphere II talk and book signing at Eden in September. Eden Research Intern Amy Staff caught up with Mark to hear about his experiences and insights into how we can live more harmoniously with Biosphere I (Earth).

You last visited Eden 17 years ago, has your experience changed?It’s wonderful! I came here when it was just a clay pit, and now it’s a beacon of green down in beautiful Cornwall. I can see that through its educational projects, Eden is actively changing the minds of its 1m visitors.

What plants were most useful to you in Biosphere II? Although we grew some temperate grains, our agriculture was mainly tropical. Sweet potatoes, bananas and papayas formed the backbone of our diet. They went into the biosphere cookbook, at least one if not all of them were in many of the recipes including the use of potato as a sweetener in the ice cream we invented. However, the plants I loved the most were those in the everglade mangrove system. There was just something about these plants adapted to living in salty water that I found exquisitely interesting.

How do you remain an 'eco-optimist'? We simply don’t have time to indulge in pessimism. In Biosphere II there were no small actions – everything had an impact. There are 7 billion people on this planet, and each one of them needs to be optimistic and understand that a small step in the right direction is much better than inaction or worrying about things you can’t change.

What three changes can we personally make to become better 'biospherians'? 1. Understand that the biosphere is your life support system – we are all interconnected. Humans have a role, but we don’t run the show. 2. Grow your own food and/or buy local. Everyone should experience, as we did, each stage of food production from planting the seed to sitting down and enjoying a (mostly) vegetarian meal together.

3. Take a breath at least once every day and think about all ofthe plants and all of the organisms that are cleaning up that air and adding oxygen to it around the planet. We were forced to reinject oxygen into Biosphere II as levels declined to such a level that it began to threaten our health. The incredible exhilaration afterwards made me realise how much we take oxygen for granted.

Twenty-five years ago, Mark Nelson was one of eight scientists on the Biosphere 2 project who sealed themselves inside a set of Biomes for two years to study how biospheres, like the planet we live on, work.

Opposite page (Top) Mark Nelson (centre) and some of his fans from the Eden Team. (Bottom ) Way to grow: Biospherians tending to their life support system. (Below) Biosphere II on Biosphere I (Earth).

High seas drifters (Greek: planktós = drifting)

Plankton form the largest ecosystem on the planet, a soup of weird and wonderful organisms. These drifters represent 98% of the ocean’s living things. They range in size from microscopic diatoms, photosynthetic algae and bacteria to fish larvae, huge jellyfish and siphonophores – the world’s longest animals.

They might seem inconspicuous or irrelevant, but they keep us alive in more ways than one. The entire marine food chain depends on them; without them there would be no fish or shellfish – the main protein source for more than a billion people worldwide. They also help regulate the climate. Phytoplankton (including cyanobacteria) produce half the O2 we breathe and capture as much CO2 as all the plants and forests on land. Some, such as the dinoflagellates, produce particles that form clouds, white-shelled plankton reflect sunlight and help keep the Earth cool, and when plankton die, they sink, locking carbon into the seabed.

Christian Sardet from the French National Centre for Scientific Research and award-winning film, documentary and multimedia project-makers the Macronauts co-founded the Plankton Chronicles project in order to reveal the magnificence of plankton to a world beyond scientists, and demonstrate the devastating effects of microplastic pollution.

Previously shown at the Kytographie International Festival of Photography in Japan and at the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art in Paris, the Plankton Chronicles now have a permanent home at Eden as part of the Invisible Worlds programme. Comprising elegant, luminescent images of plankton of all shapes and sizes and films about plankton and ocean pollution, the exhibition delves into the environmental challenges and solutions to show we can all help plankton, and therefore, ourselves. Let’s not allow plastic to replace plankton.

Rhiannon White

Oceania jellyfish © Christian Sardet & The Macronauts Invisible Worlds: Ocean

Eden Book Reviews Robert Lowe

The Nature Fix Florence Williams W.W. Norton, £12.99

More people now live in cities than in any other kind of environment, yet this urbanisation is coming at a price – our health. Our bodies evolved out in the wilderness – we’re not optimised for office work, or spending the evening on the sofa. Returning to nature is often mooted as the solution to our ills, but is this just nostalgia or is there a real connection between humans and nature that we sever at our own risk? In The Nature Fix Florence Williams looks at the science behind the idea that nature has the capacity to cure. Delving into the disciplines of neuroscience, bioscience and social science, she reveals the complexity of our interactions with nature. Exercise is well known to protect the brain from cognitive decline, but exercising in nature rather than the gym brings even greater benefits. Walk into a forest and within five minutes your body and brain start to change – but how? Williams discovers that the benefits of shinrin-yoku, ‘forest bathing’, are backed up by biochemistry – natural chemicals such as phytoncides and actinomycetes help to lower blood pressure, heart rates and improve the number of NK (natural killer) cells which protect the body. Even looking at nature has been shown to improve people’s health and wellbeing – and access to nature even on a small scale can make the difference to how long you live. Williams is an engaging guide, who leavens what might be dry science with wit and insight. She brings a critical eye to the subject, observing that these studies are motivated by very different ideas – some scientists are more concerned with trying to replicate the benefits

synthetically in order to increase productivity, but if you’re not on a mission to Mars, it’s easier (and cheaper) just to get outside. As cities continue to grow, our access to nature will decrease – valuable as parks are, their benefits are of a lower order than those offered by wilder places, and there is a very real danger that a generation that doesn’t encounter nature in early life will be unable to access those benefits. But if all it takes is five minutes to start feeling better, then there really is no excuse.

To order this title at a special Member discount of 25% + free delivery go to edenproject.com/nature-fix for your special discount code.

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A Coming of Age: Celebrating 18 Years of Botanical Painting by the Eden Project Florilegium Society Ros FranklinTwo Rivers Press, £24.99

The term florilegium can be translated as ‘a gathering of flowers’. However, it is far more than an exercise in aesthetics. Its origins lie at the intersection of art and science and date back to the 16th century when botanical illustrators were sent to record the flora of far-off climes. Our ‘Flori’, (as it’s fondly known) has been diligently recording our collection for the past 18 years. This collection, compiled by Ros Franklin, the current Chairman of the ‘Flori’ compiles some of its finest illustrations, organised by artist and accompanied by short descriptions of each plant depicted. The illustrations range from the local to the exotic – including Eden favourites the baobab and the titan arum – and every one is without exception stunning. This beautiful book is clearly a labour of love, and only represents a fraction of our collection.

It takes a rare kind of courage to pull yourself out of the wreckage of your life – it takes another kind entirely to make those first steps those of a 630-mile journey. Raynor Winn and her husband ‘Moth’ lost their home, their legal case and then it seemed their future together, when Moth was diagnosed with a rare degenerative condition. The Salt Path recounts their walk along the Southwest Coastal Path and the transformation in Moth’s health – a man who starts the journey barely able to lift his pack ends it preparing to study horticulture at Eden. The Salt Path is both a love letter to the landscape and to her husband. Winn writes beautifully from the heart and with humour, but The Salt Path is also a warning of how easy it is to fall through the cracks in society and how quick some people are to judge.

The Salt Path Raynor Winn Penguin, £9.99

Botany for Babies won’t necessarily turn your child into a budding Joseph Hooker, but it does offer a welcome respite from fluffy animals that have lost their mummies. Part of the Baby 101 Science series, it covers everything from flowers to photosynthesis. While this might seem ambitious, it’s been shown that reading to children is an essential part of their development as readers, and Botany for Babies offers a brightly coloured world of trees and flowers to explore, helping to shape their understanding of the world around them. It’s also a great source of things for parents to talk about with their children when they’re out and about.

Botany for Babies Jonathan Litton, Illustrated by Thomas Elliott Caterpillar £5.99

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Eden Recipe Make a Bakewell tart for your Big Lunch [V]

You’ll need

• 550g ready-made sweet pastry

• 200g softened butter

• 200g caster sugar

• 100g plain flour

• 4 free-range eggs

• 200g ground almonds

• 20g flaked almonds

• 1 tsp almond essence

• 2 tbsp jam

Allergens Eggs, nuts, dairy

Method Roll the pastry out and put into a tart case and chill in the fridge for two hours. Then prick the pastry with a fork, cover with baking parchment, and pour in baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 15 minutes until golden.

Mix the frangipane mixture (the remaining ingredients except for the jam and flaked almonds) in a bowl.

Once the tart has cooled, remove the baking beans or rice and spoon the jam on the bottom. Then pour in the mixture.

Bake in an oven at 180oC (gas mark 4) for 25 minutes, then take out and scatter the flaked almonds on the top and bake for a further 15 minutes.

Allow to cool and dust with icing sugar.

‘My kids love baking with me and always enjoy the end product. This recipe for Bakewell tart is one of their favourites and is fun to make. You can use any jam as a filling, but my favourite has to be a good cherry jam. The combination of cherry and almond is a winner. It can be served cold or warm with a good dollop of Cornish clotted cream.’

Last year 4.5 million people said they made new friends at their Big Lunch. This issue’s recipe for Bakewell tart is one of several included in the new Big Lunch pack (see inside front cover), designed to help you make friends and influence people with your cookery skills. This recipe is from Mike Greer, one of our sous-chefs at Eden.

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rainmakers

It’s thought that the first rain sticks

were made from dried cactus by the

Mapuche tribe in Chile. These were

used as part of rituals to summon the

rain. Our version has the spikes on the

inside and hopefully won’t get you

drenched. If you want to make more of

this activity then you could decorate

your tubes.

Stick the pins into the sides of the

cardboard tube in a spiral (this helps to slow

the contents, so that it sounds like rain).

You may need to use some tape to hold

them in place.

Wrap a length of tin foil around one end and

secure it with an elastic band.

Pour in the lentils and rice.

Seal the other end with tin foil as above.

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to shake!

how to make

a rainmaker

you will need:

A cardboard tube

About 10-15 drawing pins or split

pin paper fasteners

A handful or two of dried lentils

and rice

Elastic bands

Tin foil

Easy Peasy Rain Maker

Short of time? A plastic

bottle that you’ve saved from

recycling, and some lentils is an

easy stand in.

Rainmakers

Suncatchers Windchasers

HeatseekersYou’ll need to make the rainmaker from your kit to get you ready to play this game. One person shakes the rainmaker and the others are the rain. Shake it hard to make it rain hard (everyone runs around as fast as they can), shake it gently to make them slow down. When it stops everyone freezes like a snowflake or an icicle – who can stay still the longest?

Oh dear, the sun’s dropped out of the sky and we need to keep it off the ground to stop it burning all of the grass. Trouble is, you can’t hold the sun (ball) for long, or it will burn your fingers too! Keep the ball up in the air by batting it up with cupped hands. If someone drops it they have 10 seconds (everyone counts – adults lead) to pick it up and pass it on, starting the game again.

You’ll need a breeze for this game. Grab the bubble wand from your kit (or your own homemade wand and mixture) and make a big circle with the string. Get the children to stand inside the circle and then blow bubbles at them. They have to work as a team to pop as many as they can before the bubbles escape the circle.

Everyone pairs up. One is the Seeker and the other is the Thermometer. The Seekers close their eyes while a grown-up hides the Weather Stone and shows the Thermometers where it’s hidden. The Thermometers then have to direct their Seeker to where the Weather Stone is hidden by using the temperature scale from boiling hot (it’s like a volcano!) to freezing cold (Brrr! I can see polar bears!) to guide them. The hotter they get the closer they are. Whoever finds the Weather Stone shouts out.

Here is another all-weather activity to keep everyone out and about.

StormbringersEveryone stands in a circle, the leader starts and everyone copies. Each sound makes the storm louder as it builds to a crescendo and dies away. The leader starts with: ‘It was still, then a gentle breeze begins’ (rubs hands together). ‘The wind blows harder’ (makes whooshing noise). ‘A patter of rain falls’ (taps finger tips on head). ‘The rain gets heavier…’ (claps hands gently)’…and heavier’ (taps thighs) ‘…and heavier’ (taps thighs harder). ‘Then it thunders!’ (stamps feet). Then do it in reverse.

Eden Make Let it rainAdapted by Abi Robertson

In many cultures, rituals summoning rain often involved musical instruments. A well-known example is the rain stick, so called because it mimics the sound of rain. It’s thought that the first rain sticks were made from dried cactus by the Mapuche tribe in Chile, with cactus spines hammered to the inside and filled with tiny pebbles. Our version is slightly less traditional, not as spiky and probably won’t get you drenched. It’s great fun to try whatever the weather.

Once you’ve created your rainmaker, there are lots of fun games you can play. You can also experiment with different sounds by replacing the rice/lentils with unpopped popcorn, tiny pasta or other dried beans and grains.

Create your own rainmaker You will need:• A cardboard tube

(paper towel or wrapping paper tube work well)

• Tinfoil

• A handful or two of dried lentils and rice

• Elastic bands

• Scissors If you want to make more of this activity then you could decorate your tubes too.

How to make:1. Wrap a length of tinfoil around one end of your tube

and secure it with an elastic band.

2. Cut a few pieces of tinfoil about one and a half times longer than your tube and around 15cm wide.

3. Crunch the foil into long, thin, snake-like shapes. Then twist each one into a spring shape.

4. Put the foil ‘springs’ into your tube (push them down so they’re not poking out of the top).

5. Pour in the lentils and rice.

6. Seal the other end with tin foil as above.

7. You’re ready to shake! Short of time? A plastic bottle that you’ve saved from recycling and some lentils make a simple stand-in.

This activity has been taken from It’s Great Outdoors, a pilot project of play boxes developed by the Eden Project to help families in the UK with children under the age of five spend time playing outdoors together.

Here’s a fun game to play with friendsOne person shakes the rainmaker and the others are the rain. Shake it hard to make it rain hard (everyone runs around as fast as they can), shake it gently to make them slow down. When it stops everyone freezes like a snowflake or an icicle – who can stay still the longest?

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Eden Shop CANOPY

Environmentally conscious design: in collaboration with LSA International

CANOPY is a collection of handmade, recycled glass products designed by LSA International and launched in collaboration with the Eden Project. Directly referencing the iconic structure of our Biomes, the collection is inspired by the idea that together we live as one community under the same canopy. The product range is centred around hydration and propagation and includes drinkware, planters and vases. All items are dishwasher safe and boxed inrecycled, recyclable packaging printed with organic vegetable inks .Each item is sustainably manufactured from 100% recycled glass echoing the founding principles of the Eden Project, to transform and regenerate. lsa-international.comedenproject.com

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Available from April

2019

Tumblers (set of 4) £28.00

Highballs (set of 4) £28.00

Carafe (1.3L) £30.00

Vase/bulb planter (10cm high) £18.00

Vase/bulb planter (20cm high) £20.00

Closed garden (16.5cm high) £40.00 (also available: 22cm high £65.00)

Vase (18cm high) £22.00 (also available: 9.5cm high) £16.00

Self-watering planter (22cm high) £70.00 (also available: 13cm high) £36.00

The Very Hungry Caterpillar ™Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 March

A packed weekend of family fun activities exploring Eric Carle’s big, bright, timeless storybook that has delighted so many generations of little ones. There’ll be trails, crafts and stories to captivate and enthral. See more: edenproject.com/very-hungry-caterpillar

Plan Bee art exhibitionUntil Sunday 17 March

This insightful exhibition brings together a range of renowned and respected collaborators across many disciplines, united by their passion to save our pollinators. Explore the extraordinary lives of these crucial creatures through works by artists Kurt Jackson, Wolfgang Buttress and Amy Shelton. Get the buzz: edenproject.com/plan-bee

Behind the scenes of Plan BeeWednesday 6 March, 4–5.30pm

Misha Curson, our Art Curator, hosts this special tour for Members. She will reveal fascinating insights, into the exhibition itself and the reasons why it is a perfect fit for Eden. Booking is essential

Gin talk and tastingThursday 21 March, 5.30–7pm

The explosion in popularity of this top tipple can’t fail to be noticed. Come along to our Member event – hosted by Rory Colborne of Cornish success story Tarquin’s – to get a taste of all things gin; from its early history, through distillation and botanicals, to the obligatory (for non-drivers) tasting! Booking is essential

Invisible Worlds: OceanNew permanent exhibit

The stunning Ocean: Plankton Chronicles by Christian Sardet & The Macronauts is the latest exhibit in our Invisible Worlds series. Through awe-inspiring imagery and film, sink deep into the beauty and diversity of plankton; miniscule creatures which produce a massive 50% of our oxygen. Dive in: edenproject.com/ocean

Little Eden Thursday mornings

Taking place in the secret spaces and quiet places of Eden’s magical wild estate, our parent and under-fives club inspires young families to play and learn together outside – with games and stories, campfire-cooking, quests and nature-inspired craft activities. All sessions must be booked in advance. Find out more: edenproject.com/little-eden

Little Eden for grandparents Thursday afternoons, from 7 March

A special version of our Little Eden sessions. All the same magic, but for grandparents (or older carers) and their under-fives. Find out more: edenproject.com/little-eden-grandparents

Activities for grandparents and grandchildrenVarious times and sessions, 5–29 March

Free, bookable sessions taking place at Eden. Choose from ‘Explore and Play’ on Tuesdays, ‘Wild Walks’ on Wednesdays, ‘Music in the Med’ on Thursdays (from 14 March) or ‘Discover and Do’ on Thursdays and Fridays. See the timetable and book: edenproject.com/grandparents

Eden Diary

Phytoplankton Mandala © Christian Sardet & The Macronauts Invisible Worlds: Ocean

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Introduction to botanical paintingFriday 10 – Sunday 12 May

Join botanical artists from The Eden Project Florilegium Society, who will guide you through the techniques required to produce a finished watercolour painting. Members benefit from a 10% saving on the course price. Find out more: edenproject.com/botanical-painting-course

Eden Classic SportiveSunday 12 May

Cornwall’s largest sportive is now in its fifth year. Take up the challenge to cycle our short, mid- or long-distance course – friends and family of entrants get free admission to Eden all weekend and to the Lost Gardens of Heligan on the day.Get on your bike: edenproject.com/eden-classic

Costa Rica family weekendSaturday 18 and Sunday 19 May

Join us for a special weekend of family-friendly activities with a Costa Rican theme. Further details in our next issue.

20% off spring stays at YHA Eden Project Until Sunday 19 May

Extend your Eden experience this spring with a stay in quirky and comfortable on-site accommodation. Quote YHEDEN-050 to get 20% off stays until 19 May 2019 at: yha.org.uk/hostel/eden-project

Introduction to botanical illustration Friday 29 – Sunday 31 March

Join botanical artists from The Eden Project Florilegium Society, who will guide you through the techniques required to produce an accurate illustration. Taking place in the heart of the Mediterranean Biome, Members benefit from a 10% saving on the course price. Find out more: edenproject.com/botanical-illustration-course

Easter at EdenSaturday 6 – Thursday 25 April

A fun-packed day out is guaranteed, at our farm-themed Easter event! With lots of new indoor and outdoor games and activities for all the family, including a Golden Egg hunt with a difference, a giant scramble course – with some farmyard frolics – and of course prizes and treats. Hatch your plan: edenproject.com/easter

Introduction to Eden tourThursday 25 April, 3–4.30pm

Get to know Eden’s beautiful Biomes a little better with this tour for Members, hosted by Carla Wentink from our superbly knowledgeable Storytelling team. This one is especially suited to those of you who have joined us relatively recently. Booking is essential

Cornwall International Male Choral FestivalSunday 5 and Monday 6 May

Eden will be alive with the sound of music as the finest choirs perform across two days in our unique setting.Find out more: edenproject.com/cimcf

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South African veld talkMonday 20 May, 4–5pm

Plans are in full swing for creating a South African veld in our Outdoor Gardens. One of the biggest outside displays of South African plants in the UK, it will celebrate the diversity and beauty of this region’s flora – whilst drawing attention to its fragility. Florence Mansbridge, Eden Horticulturist, will share the plans alongside photos from her study tour of the Western Cape. Booking is essential

May half-term: Dick V Dom at EdenSaturday 25 May – Sunday 2 June

TV legends Dick and Dom take up residency at Eden, bringing their hugely popular live show to the stage every day throughout half-term. There’ll be a whole host of fun family activities leading up to madcap shenanigans from the star duo, and of course some... BOGIES!!!! Read more: edenproject.com/dick-and-dom

Private guided toursFrom £65 (Members from £58.50)

Book a private guided tour for up to eight people and get to know Eden even better: edenproject.com/tours

ParkrunSaturdays, from 9am

Take part in a free, weekly 5km timed run through our Outdoor Gardens. It’s open to runners, joggers and walkers of all abilities. Find out how to take part: edenproject.com/parkrun

Priority car parking for Members This operates on a first-come, first-served basis in Orange 2 car park. Please ensure your windscreen sticker is displayed as you arrive so that you can be directed accordingly. During peak times, please note that Members may be directed to the nearest available car parking space – thank you for your understanding.

Discounted courses, tours and activitiesTo book a discounted place, please login to booking.edenproject.com before choosing from the ‘Events’ or ‘Courses’ menu at the top of the page. To check availability and make a discounted booking for a private guided tour, or to book a course or activity by phone, please call 01726 811932.

Eden eventsVisit edenproject.com/whats-on before your visit, or check our on-site information boards for specific timings of Eden events and activities once you’ve arrived.

Member events and offersPlease subscribe to our news and events e-newsletter to keep up to date with Member events and offers by email. You can also view all the latest listings online at: edenproject.com/member-events. Booking is essential for all of these events. To book, or to check and update your details and contact preferences, please email: membership@edenproject.com or call 01726 811932.

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Leave a legacy of magic for generations to come

If the time is right for you to consider leaving the Eden Project a gift in your Will, please contact us to find out more:

fundraising@edenproject.com | 01726 811910 | edenproject.com/legacy

The Eden Project connects us with each other and the living world. Reg. charity no. 1093070 (The Eden Trust).