Met Office statistics showed that England enjoyed its sunniest March since records began in 1910. This prolonged period of warm, sunny weather with cool nights, followed immediately by substantial amounts of rainfall in April, has created strong growing conditions, giving a boost to plant life across the Eden Project site.
Carefully curated exhibits throughout the tantalising Mediterranean Biome, iconic Rainforest Biome, and flourishing Outdoor Gardens have burst into life. The combination of expert horticulture and the helping hand from the weather means that the next few weeks are some of the very best of the calendar year for visitors to experience everything Eden’s vast site has to offer.
In the Mediterranean Biome, which is known for awakening the senses with its vivid sights and smells, is a bright and impressive poppy display, which is flourishing with the strong sunlight coming through the Biome. Filled with Icelandic poppies, visitors can see an abundance of bowl-shaped, fragrant flowers in shades of yellow, orange, red and white. Over the coming weeks the Common poppy will also come into flower, adding even more vibrance and deep reds to the area.
Also thriving with the bright conditions is an unmissable display of Anemones. These jolly flowers have formed a blanket of lilac and purple, creating one of the most picture-perfect spots at the Eden Project. Among the bed, return visitors over the next few weeks will also see ‘Amazing grey’ poppies popping through the sea of Anemones, creating an even more eye-catching display, the first of which have just begun to flower.
Another highlight in the Biome is the Atlantic Islands exhibit, sporting an exuberance of complementary yellows and blues thanks to the fascinating-looking Aeonium and Echium. The exhibit helps show the rich diversity of plant life growing on these islands and the risk we face of losing them thanks to the growing impact of climate change.
Additionally, visitors can currently see Dracunculus vulgaris, more commonly known as dragon lily, vampire lily or voodoo lily, growing and getting ready to flower. Much like its larger cousin, the Titan arum, once it flowers it emits a smell reminiscent of rotting flesh to attract flies and beetles.
Outside, the recent unsettled weather and building temperatures have provided ideal conditions for much of the flora and fauna in the Eden Project’s extensive Outdoor Gardens, which has seen its own explosion of colour. This is especially evident in the Japanese garden. Located behind the Core building, this hidden gem of an area is abundant with horticultural life thanks to foliage from plants such as Japanese maple trees and azaleas.
The trend continues across the site with other highlights including a wall of blue camas, showy fruit blossoms on the thriving Apple and Cherry trees and a carpet of Primulas in full bloom.
Meanwhile, the horticultural tapestry of the Rainforest Biome is now burgeoning out of its winter dormancy, with plants growing and flowering throughout the Biome. Of particular note is the cacao exhibit. A favourite with visitors, due to the fact it is widely cultivated in the tropics around the world for its seed - the source of chocolate. A grand quantity of cacao pods of all shapes and sizes are currently on show in the exhibit. A closer look can also reveal the diminutive flowers of the cacao tree, which it unusually produces directly on its trunk and branches.
Among the lush greenery of the rainforest, visitors can find a surprising amount of colour at this time of the year. One such example is the Bush clock vine with its swathes of purple trumpet-shaped flowers, which can be seen lining the paths within the tropical south America region of the Biome.
Also on display is a large amount of Acalypha hispida, commonly known at red-hot cat’s tail for their attractive bright red catkins formed by hundreds of tiny flowers, and the fascinating Mysore clock vine with its long, hanging flower clusters in orange and yellow.
Catherine Cutler, the Eden Project’s head of horticulture, said: “Spring is a particularly special time to visit the Eden Project, with every corner of the site full of rich colours and amazing scents. The horticulture team have been working incredibly hard to curate displays that not only look wonderful but most importantly help educate us all about the extraordinary diversity of plant life.
“I’m sure many of us enjoyed the incredible sunshine in March, and so did our gardens at Eden. The record-breaking month followed by the quick switch to a very wet April really assisted a lot of our plant growth and we are now seeing the rewards from that.
“The next few weeks are a particularly lovely time for our local visitors to come and see us, with new plants coming into flower on a daily basis, so they will really be able to watch on as these exhibits evolve further."
Until June 1, visitors can also continue to enjoy an array of exciting games designed for the whole family to enjoy. From crazy golf and pool to croquet and netball, each game features a unique twist, designed to spark curiosity about nature recovery and the simple ways we can all make a difference. Plus, little adventurers can enjoy endless fun in the Soft Play Zone.
For more information on what to see and do at the Eden Project go to www.edenproject.com/visit.
