As chosen by our Green Team!

Screw Pine

Panda nus utilis

This striking specimen adds a touch oftropical class to our Rainforest Biome.The palm fronds are used to weavebeautiful mats, baskets and boxes.Despite its name it’s not a pine at all,but a tropical Pandanus tree.

• Where? Rainforest Biome
• What? Scre Pine- Pandanus utilis

Christmas Box
Sarcococca ruscifolia var. chinensis

This cracking bush adds a touch of fizzto a wintery garden, and is soon to puton a display of lovely sparkler shapedflowers that smell sweet and heavenly.

• Where? Outdoor Biome - Gardens
• What? Christmas Box

Arum Lily
Zantedeschia aethiopica

A striking, architectural plant withglossy leaves and large white hoodedflowers which are popular for cutting. Itflowers for months and is versatile inthat it tolerates a wide variety ofgrowing conditions. It’s not too keen onfrost though it remains evergreen throughout the year in mild areas.

• Where? Mediterranean Biome
• What? Arum Lily

Couples who are dreaming of a luscious backdrop for their wedding day, but don’t want the carbon footprint of flying to the tropics, can now tie the knot in the beautiful surroundings of the Eden Project.

Eden has opened it’s doors to allow weddings amid the rich foliage of the jungle in the Rainforest Biome, the fragrant surroundings of the Mediterranean Biome or overlooking the world-famous domes themselves.

A professional in-house events and hospitality team can work with the bride and groom to organise a day that ticks the right ethical boxes, including the cake, flowers, wedding favours, and a seasonal banquet with a strong focus on locally-produced food.

Stunning photo locations include the Rainforest Biome’s tumbling waterfall, it’s secluded Malaysian Hut and the Mediterranean Biomes after-dark, where reflecting lights create the illusion of thousands of stars.

Eden Events and Hospitality Manager, Di Hall, said: “It is truly amazing seeing the look on people’s faces when I show them the unique venues for the first time. We are really excited to be part of the bride and groom’s special day – and to help them live out their values in this iconic place.”

Eden’s eco credentials include composting food waste, recycling, harvesting rainwater to irrigate the Biomes and flush the toilets, and producing renewable power onsite.

Filming The Day of the Triffids at Eden with Actress Kathryn Sumner

A new Power/Prodigy production for BBC One of the sci-fi classic The Day of the Triffids was partly filmed at the Eden Project earlier this year.

The adaptation of the seminal John Wyndham novel, which boasts an all-star cast including Joely Richardson, Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Eddie Izzard and Dougray Scott, used Eden as a stand-in for the Congolese jungle.

The scenes shot at in the project’s Rainforest Biome are flashbacks of the young Bill Masen’s first encounter with the deadly triffids.

As well as being a filming location, Eden also served as inspiration for production designer Joel Collins, whose previous credits include The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Son of Rambow. When designing the triffid itself in March last year, Joel came to Eden looking for inspiration and found it in the sinister visage of one of the project’s plants.

Susan Hill, Eden’s Marketing Director, said: “We’re really looking forward to what promises to be a great piece of sci-fi action and to see how the Eden Project jungle handles one of its most high-profile roles to date. With the biggest tract of rainforest outside the tropics, Eden was the natural choice for the producers and we enjoyed hosting a ‘triffidly’ exciting day of filming.”

The Day of the Triffids will be broadcast on BBC One on December 28 and 29 2009 at 9pm.

(For a bit of fun, every Friday our Plant Records Manager, Chris Bisson, the guy who maintains all the recorded information on our plant collections, will do a regular blog slot where he recommends his favourite “plant records” – that is, songs that are in some way linked to a plant. (Do you see what we did there?) )

‘Pick A Bale of Cotton’ Leadbelly (1945)

Gossypium hirsutum or Cotton is one of the most important economic plants in the world, the material we use comes from the fluffy seed covering, which is spun into fibres and then woven into cloth. People have grown and used cotton for thousands of years. We currently have Cotton Plants growing in our Mediterranean Biome. Much of music we listen to today is derived from the folk and blues songs of the cotton pickers and slaves used in the production of this cloth.

Chris Bisson – Plant Records Manager  – Eden Project

Teams of homeless champions laced up their boots and strapped on their shinpads on Tuesday (December 15) for the first-ever football matches played at Eden.

The world’s biggest greenhouses provided a stunning backdrop for a tournament with a difference, played out between teams of people who have completed the project’s nine-week Great Grass programme.

The programme was run at Plymouth Argyle, Exeter City, Bristol Rovers and Bristol City and the players at Eden were the first people to take part.

Great Grass aims to improve participants’ playing and coaching skills and also teach them about other aspects of the football business such as catering, ticketing, grounds maintenance, marketing and physiotherapy.

Everyone on the courses has gained a football coaching qualification and Cisco Networking Academy accredited NVQ level 2 award.

Theo Pope, who completed the course at Plymouth Argyle and was playing for their team at Eden, said: “Great Grass has been amazing, I’ve met some great people and learned new skills. It’s been a good journey, most definitely a positive experience and I’m happy to be one of the first people to play football at Eden.”

Richard McBride, who was also on the Plymouth Great Grass course, said: “I found Great Grass really rewarding. I’m football crazy so it was great learning at Argyle. As an electrician, the IT qualification I’ve got from the course will hopefully help me develop professionally.”

Jodie Giles, Eden’s Great Day Out Programme Manager, said: “It was a brilliant day and a real celebration of the achievement of all the people who have taken part in Great Grass so far. There was a really positive atmosphere and it brought people together with common goals. We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future.”

The matches were four-a-side and played in a league format with Exeter’s team emerging eventual winners, a combined Bristol side coming second and Plymouth’s representatives bringing up the rear, albeit with some impressive performances. Outside the Great Grass competition, an Eden Project staff squad also played each team, winning every game with just one goal conceded. The games were staged on an arena dubbed “Wembl-Eden” for the day.

The first courses have been run at the four clubs but there are plans to expand the programme to more clubs in the future. At least 195 people are taking part in the first year, with many more predicted to attend in the future.

As well as gaining practical skills, Great Grass aims to help its participants grow in confidence, live a more structured life and play a more active role in their communities.

Great Grass is a collaboration between the Eden Project, the four football clubs, the Football League Trust, Cisco Systems and Comic Relief to help homeless young people gain the skills and confidence to improve their lives.

(For a bit of fun, every Friday our Plant Records Manager, Chris Bisson, the guy who maintains all the recorded information on our plant collections, will do a regular blog slot where he recommends his favourite “plant records” – that is, songs that are in some way linked to a plant. (Do you see what we did there?) )

‘Buddy Holly’ Weezer (1994)

An appropriately seasonal theme this week! There about 600 species of the genus Holly worldwide, but the one primarily associated with Yule is Ilex aquifolium L. with its evergreen glossy spiky leaves and vivid red berries prominent through the cold winter months.   Originally sacred to Druids, a symbol of protection and fertility, the holly was later appropriated by Christianity.

Spike Jonze directed the memorable video for this 1994 track by Weezer, the California alt rockers fronted by enigmatic Rivers Cuomo, who have just released their seventh album ‘Raditude’.

Chris Bisson – Plant Records Manager  – Eden Project

The beauty of winter veg is that it gives you something to harvest through the depths and darks of the winter months. Read on for hints and tips on what you can be growing now!

• “Cut and come again” winter salad leaves like rocket, mustards and oriental leaf salads

Sow a 5cm width row of seeds and use them when they’re just big enough to harvest. The lettuces might need some protection from the cold, but most other leaves should be fine.  They can keep going all throughout the winter. “Cut and come again” salad mixes have become really popular – within 3-4 weeks you can have something to harvest. And you can sow all year round.

• Weeds, weeds, weeds

Don’t dig up your dandelions – harvest and eat them! Add something different  to a mixed salad – dandelions, chickweed, fat hen, different types of sorrel and shepherd’s purse all make unusual ingredients. But remember, be careful to only eat what you know, and to only eat a small amount, some  weeds have chemicals in which you can’t eat in large quantities.

• Chard, chicory, endives

Buy these from a nursery as it’s too late to plant seeds. Rainbow chard makes a wonderful ornamental crop too.

• Peas and beans

It’s a perfect time to get your broad beans in the ground. And some of the autumn varieties of peas, like Feltham First and Douce Provence, are really good ones for growing this time of year. They might need a bit of protection from the weather and hungry mice.

• Garlic and onions (from sets)

Buy specific autumn onion varieties – and harvest in the summer. Pop your onion sets in the ground four inches apart – the same with garlic. The only thing you’ve got to be a little careful with is to plant them the right way up and keep an eye out for hungry birds!

Ever fancied taking up the ice sport curling? Why not come down to the Eden Project this winter and try it out on our Ice Rink.

Watch this report by ITV News (The Westcountry Tonight)

Above, from Left to right, Tim Smit, Peter Sammonds, Presenter Mike Williams, John Sauven and Vicky Pope.

Eden played its part in the debate surrounding the forthcoming Copenhagen climate conference yesterday (Thursday December 3) by hosting a landmark discussion between some of the world’s top environmental thinkers for the BBC World Service’s One Planet programme.

The panel in the Mediterranean Biome featured Tim Smit, chief executive of Eden, Dr Vicky Pope, head of climate change advice at the Met Office, Professor Peter Sammonds of University College London, John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK and the debate was chaired by One Planet presenter Mike Williams.

Chinese and American contributions came from Changhua Wu, the Greater China director of the Climate Group, and Nigel Purvis, founder and president of Climate Advisers, respectively, and Yvo de Boer, the convener of the Copenhagen conference was interviewed, admitting that he is losing sleep over the organisation of the event. Hammer Simwinga, a Zambian agronomist, also contributed, giving the discussion an African point of view.

A diverse range of subjects were covered, including the possibility of Copenhagen delegates brokering a meaningful deal, rising populations and their impact on the resources and the climate and the consequences of the recent leaked e-mail scandal.

An enthusiastic and knowledgable audience added to the debate, with a notable contribution coming from a student from Poltair School who said he wanted to save the rainforests for the sake of his children’s generation, and from members of the Eden team.

The programme is due to be broadcast on Saturday December 5, the eve of the Copenhagen summit, between 6pm and 7pm on the BBC world Service. To listen, visit www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice and if you miss the show you’ll be able to download a podcast afterwards.

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There’s lots more information on Eden’s work around Climate Change on the Our Work section of our website.

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