We had been told about the wonders of the Eden Project by, believe it or not, a friendly parking inspector while visiting Bath. On an overcast morning, we drove to St. Austell to see for ourselves. Created in a reclaimed Cornish clay pit, the 35 acre site was a spectacular vision.

White domes bulged from the surrounding landscape,

their magnitude truly appreciated the nearer we walked.

Eden Project is intended to make us think about the relationship between people and plants, as well as the sustainability of our planet. The tropical biome is fifty metres high and four of the world’s rainforest environments are re-created in nearly 4 acres.

I was reluctant to expose my camera to the hot, steamy atmosphere

and very relieved to enter the Mediterranean biome and a more agreeable climate.

There were some interesting installations

including sculptures depicting the Rites of Dionysus.

The Greek god of the vines and his followers seem to be enjoying themselves immensely.

The outdoor gardens represent the temperate regions of the world with more than 3,000 plant varieties.

Meandering our way along the paths, we encountered many surprises.

The living sculpture of Eve is made mostly of clay from Eden, she looks very relaxed amongst the trees.

The Giant Steel Man sculpture keeps an eye on the Hemp exhibit

The Industrial Flame Plant is a comment on fossil fuels. We are warned that most varieties of the genus ‘Industrialis’ extract energy stored in fossilized plant remains from ancient forests. They convert raw materials into a variety of useful products and harmful emissions. Widespread overplanting causes environmental damage and climate change.

WEEE Man is a 3.3 tonne, 7m high structure representing the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) the average British household throws away in a lifetime.

The Core building is an education facility with interactive exhibits, the structure of which is based on a sunflower.

The Nutcracker was designed to get us thinking about how much energy and resources we often use to do simple things. A wind of the handle transports a hazelnut through a series of cogs, wheels, pulleys and cranks before it is eventually cracked.

Seed was fascinating. The 70 tonne sculpture is at the epicenter of the Core building and is carved from a single piece of granite. The complex pattern of protrusions are based upon the geometric and mathematical principles of plant growth.

There was so much to see at Eden Project, I’m sure we missed some of it. We shall have to return one day.