Eden Project visit

This should really be in the Tropical section, but the Eden Project is such a wonderful experience that everyone, even non gardeners, would enjoy going there.

I have just been on a splendid coach trip from N Yorks to Newquay with some friends. 5 days for £112 including 4 nights of dinner, bed and breakfast - thats much less than just the petrol to drive there and back . The Eden Project wasn't included in the trip but it was only a bus ride away. As I didn't have a camera with me I have used pictures from the internet, with thanks and apologies to the owners.

There are more plants flowering in the summer, of course, but it was wonderfully uncrowded in February, and interesting to see what was in flower in winter. There are two biomes. The smaller one is a Mediterranean climate, where I was interested to see Chasmanthe in flower.


Above, Chasmanthe floribunda. This is the orange one, but they also had a yellow one - var ducatii in flower as well. I have been trying to grow this for three years but have never had any flowers. Its a tender relative of Crocosmia, and is from South Africa where the seasons are reversed. Many sources say that it flowers in the autumn, including the Parkers site (who sell the corms) - and where this picture came from. But its in flower now, and a chap on a stand at the Hampton Court flower show, who grew them, told me that they flowered in February and March. I am sure my corms are confused about when they should flower.


Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis
This one I loved. Its so weird - its basically a lemon with the most amazing shaped fruit. Its pretty rare but you can buy the plant in the USA. I have looked hard but you can't buy the plant in the UK or the seeds anywhere . Do tell me if you find a source.

The jewel of the Eden Project is the Tropical biome. I was told that in winter they keep the temperature between 20 and 22C with 80% humidity. If the temperature drops below 18C - they are in trouble. Whilst it was cold and pouring with rain outside - it was so hot and humid inside - lovely.


Amorphophallus titanum - the world's largest and smelliest flower. There was a lovely example in the Tropical biome, though it wasn't in flower like the above picture. Even so it was 8 feet tall with very attractive foliage. I saw one last June at Kew - also with foliage, so I would love to know when it returns to a tuber. Apparently a 1996 bloom of this species attracted thousands of people to Kew, as did a 1970 two-day flowering in Java which attracted 34,000 viewers


Hibiscus schizopetalus is a tropical shrub that will reach about 6 to 8 feet high. It is a very fast grower and needs to be pruned often. Hibiscus schizopetalus is native to tropical east Africa. I have seen plenty of pictures of this, but it was a pleasure to see it in flower. I can't find seeds for it anywhere.


Solandra maxima. This picture is from the Eden Project itself and will be of the very plant that I saw. The flower is huge and can be more than 8 inches across. Its a vine and can grow up to 100 feet tall/long. This was also in flower. I was planning to get seeds for this even before I saw it, as they are not that difficult to find - but you need a lot of space.


Right next to the Cola tree, which is the source of Coca Cola and other drinks, there was a red flowered bush that I couldn't identify. I have done some research since and think it was Warscewiczia coccinea (Wild Poinsettia, Chaconia, Pride of Trinidad), pictured above. Whilst it grows wild in Trinidad, its very rare to find it growing even in gardens over there. Again, with a lot of searching, this can be found on sale as a plant in the USA - but no chance in this country, and no seeds on sale anywhere on the internet.

There was not a lot of colour in the Tropical biome, but then you wouldn't expect it even in summer. The great joy of this place is that you really feel you are deep in the jungle surrounded by thick vegitation on every side. I could have spent a week there, and would have loved to have had a personal guide to identify all the plants for me.

 

I've been to the Eden project a few times, and I agree, it is a fantastic place. Very much worth a visit.

 

It's on my list if things too do!

 

I loved the biomes!

Highlight for me was the afore mentioned Hibiscus schizopetalus and the wall of Allamanda cathartica...................




This Johannesteijsmanmia magnifica....................


And this Clerodendrum Speciosissimum...................

 

We went 1o years ago so we must be due for another visit.

 

I wondered who'd built that, now I know

 

Shall we arrange a GC visit, or is that too much to organize?

 

We went when it first opened so I think it must have changed a lot. I remember the heat inside though!
A meet up sounds good.

 

Needs to be when the Strongylodon is in bloom. It's supposed to be a good specimen.

 

I'm going in July, when on holiday to Cornwall.

 

I have just been sent a few photos my friends took.


This is a general view of the Tropical biome. You can see what I mean about the enclosed feeling. If it wasn't for a small part of the structure at the top right - you would have no idea that you weren't deep in the jungle.


This is the Amorphophallus titanum, as we saw it. Even without the flower its a very impressive plant about 8 or 10 feet high. For all of us who had failures with Sal's Amorphophallus paeniifolious - we are not alone. I read on one site that A. titanum (and others) are renowned as difficult plants to grow because the tuber rots so easily. And even when you do get them to grow the tuber is just as likely to be smaller at the end of the year rather than bigger.

And no - that's not me hiding behind the stem .

 

Looks really impressive, can't wait to get there in summer, will probably come home with a car full of plants