Landscape shapes
Take a step back at Eden and you'll notice the landscape is dominated by prominent shapes and lines.
The red lines show the scimitar and zig-zag shapes evident in Eden's landscape
Dominic Cole of Land Use Consultants is in charge of Eden's landscape and had previously worked at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, a project closely linked to Eden.
As well as being a landscaper, Dominic is also a garden historian. He drew on many historical gardening principles and was particularly influenced by the work of Roberto Burle Marx (a Brazilian landscape designer, painter, ecologist and naturalist who is accredited with having introduced modernist landscape architecture to Brazil) when developing Eden.
When viewing Eden from above, it becomes apparent that the landscape is built around a number of bold shapes. Scimitar-shaped paths and beds skirt the west edge of the pit and surround the arena. Providing contrast to these curves, the area between the Visitor Centre and the Warm Temperate Biome is dominated by a huge zig-zag path.
The blue lines show the line-of-sight axes that run through the Eden landscape
From the very start, Eden's landscape was designed on two axes providing a clear line of sight. One runs from the mineral exhibit on the southern edge to the centre of the Link building between the Biomes. The other runs from the cedar of Lebanon and down the silver staircase on the western edge to the centre of The Core, our education centre. They intersect on the edge of the arena.
Next time you're at Eden, see if you can spot these shapes and lines, as they offer a fresh perspective on a familiar landscape.
