Eden

From the sterile depths of a disused china clay pit in Cornwall has risen one of the most remarkable and ambitious ventures in recent memory.

The Eden Project’s iconic biomes, the world’s largest conservatories, are the symbol of a living theatre of plants and people, of regeneration and of a pioneering forum for the exploration of possible futures.

Tim Smit and his team working on the restoration of the Lost Gardens of Heligan realized very quickly that plants, even the humble potato, had stories to tell that could fire the imagination. How to tell them?

There was no room at Heligan for the ambitious buildings required.

Why not build them in one of the many derelict pits that dotted this part of Cornwall? The vision inspired botanists, engineers, architects, artists – and, crucially, financiers both public and private. In March 2001 Eden opened its doors to the world, and over two million visitors have flocked there since.

This is the extraordinary story of the Eden Project, of its conception, design and construction, and of the larger-than-life personalities who made it happen. It is the story of how the hope and energy of many men and women transformed a thrilling idea into a breathtaking reality.