The relationship between plants and people

To promote the understanding and responsible management of the vital relationship between plants, people and resources leading to a sustainable future for all.

The grain of nature

‘Is there anybody out there who doesn’t, in quiet moments, feel in his or her heart that the future lies in working with the grain of nature? We are creatures. We may live in concrete burrows, and cover ourselves up in a million different ways, and talk of our command over all we survey. Yet nothing can disguise the fact that we are part of nature, indivisible from it.
At Eden we want to explore what that means.
Yes, Eden is a symbol of regeneration, bringing life and community where there was none. Yes, we wanted a cauldron where science, technology and the arts could be cooked into an entertaining and educational experience, inspiring us to look at the world with fresh eyes. We are working with partners in Development, the Environment, Industry and Science, creating a new Foundation to explore and champion an understanding of the interdependence of people and plants.
But Eden is more than that: we built it because we believe there are solutions to the world’s challenges. We want Eden to become a meeting-house where we can ask: ‘What do our best possible futures look like – and how do we get there?’

Call us on 01726 811911

Eden … a place in the heart

‘I still find it amazing that in January 1999 the land where the Visitor Centre now stands slid like a giant blancmange into the bottom of the pit. In a little over three weeks more than 43 million gallons of water poured in and brought us to the verge of total despair.

I cannot tell you how proud I feel of the team who rolled their sleeves up and wouldn’t admit defeat because they believed that what we were doing was important.

But if this place becomes no more than an upmarket theme park it will all have been the most gigantic waste of money. We intended to create something that not only encourages us to understand and to celebrate the world we live in, but also inspires us to action. Eden isn’t so much a destination as a place in the heart. It is not just a marvellous piece of science-related architecture; it is also a statement of our passionate belief in an optimistic future for mankind.