Cornwall: Exploring Your Doorstep... part II
Photo: Claudia Montano / @perfectlyclaudia
If you haven’t yet read part I, you can find it here: Part I…
But if you have, then you’ll know that this summer I’ve been taking the time to explore more of what’s on, well, my doorstep. Let’s get stuck in…
Most people have heard of the Eden Project, and a lot of people from all across the UK, and the world, have visited during their time in Cornwall. I certainly visited once or twice after it first opened, my fifth year ball was even held there, but after that I hadn’t really returned – other than to enjoy a few of their Eden Sessions.
The Eden Project itself is a fabulous tourist hot spot, with blooms in a variety of colours, shapes, sizes, fragrances… and the landscape changes year round. It really is a total wonder.
I was lucky enough to be allowed into this fabulous project before opening hours to collaborate with the Eden Project on some Instagram features (which you can find here: @perfectlyclaudia). This meant that I had the amazing opportunity to roam the Eden Project without any busy tourists, and got a real insight into the behind the scenes… how it works, how many horticultural staff are on hand bright and early – hours before opening, and how much hard work and effort goes into keeping it fabulous all day every day. I also got to jump sprinklers as the team worked away. Do you know how many sprinklers keep that rain-forest biome ticking?! Amazing! It was such fun to see.
The outdoor grounds of the Eden Project are beautiful, with lots of little seating spots, a wildflower garden, oodles of lavender and heather (seasonally flowering, of course), beautiful ponds, and much much more to discover. The two biomes house two totally different environments; the Rain Forest biome, and the Mediterranean biome. They do exactly what they promise to do, and bring an incredible snippet from those two climates into the Cornwall landscape. My top tip? Hit the Med biome first, the Rain Forest biome is pretty humid!
The Eden Project also does so much more than showcasing beautiful foliage and flowers, it is a charity project – and they do a lot for the community, including apprenticeships, the ability to study a degree at the Eden Project, and community support programs. Not only that, but they also carry out an array of ecological studies and projects around the world, including China and America. You can find out more on their website: here.
Not only is it worth exploring the Eden Project for the beauty, but it’s also a super educational. There are plenty of signs around the biomes and outdoor areas that give snippets of info from sites around the world, as well as encouraging your horticultural side to flourish by visibly naming all of the plants and flowers around the grounds.
Claudia xo
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