Eden Project gardeners have swapped solid ground for ropes and slopes to plant a ‘Silver Staircase’ on the site’s western side to commemorate the charity’s 25th silver anniversary.
Working on ropes across a fortnight this October, the horticulture team have hand-planted bands of silver-leaved evergreen shrubs along the steep bank in a modern twist on the original planting scheme created by landscape architect Dominic Cole before the Eden Project opened its doors in 2001.
Cole’s original design concept prioritised structural plants to stabilise the steep cliff faces, rather than industrial solutions. Not only will the Silver Staircase be eye-catching for visitors, but it will also help re-stabilise a steep bank that suffered a landslide in 2020. The bank was repaired, and this planting forms part of Eden Project's ongoing work to protect the site as extreme weather becomes more frequent.
Wetter winters and drier summers are putting new pressure on landscapes across the UK, and Eden’s own site is no exception. This daring feat of gardening shines a light on the importance of horticulture in supporting changing climates and the ability to transform even the most inhospitable land into areas of thriving natural wildlife.
Peter Jones, director of horticulture at the Eden Project, said: “Our Silver Staircase is a masterclass in how even the most difficult areas of land can be turned into a thriving habitat.
“It really is the Eden story in a nutshell. This whole site began as an exhausted clay pit and turning difficult environments into somewhere full of life is what we have always done.
“Soil conditions on this slope vary significantly. Some sections retain moisture, whilst others are quite dry and nutrient-poor, which is a challenge for any horticulturalists. By creating a biodiverse collection, we've created something that looks incredible and holds the slope together.
“It is a win-win and encourages us to look at what other spaces could become with the introduction of nature.”
Whilst visitors can enjoy the bursts of silver all year round, the plant roots on the staircase will play a pivotal role in soil stabilisation. Their fibrous root system provides support even in areas where the soil is quite thin whilst the sun-loving silvery leaves reflect the light to allow them to be resilient to the hotter summers that we are experiencing.
The design alternates hedge bands of the silvery-leaved and lavender-flowered tree germander (Teucrium fruticans) with shrub bands of sea rosemary (Ozothamnus rosmarinifolius), otter bush (Gomphostigma virgatum) and silver spear (Astelia). Due to bloom in the summer, visitors can expect fragrant white blooms from the sea rosemary and otter bush contrasted with the bold, silver leaves from the silver spear. The mix suits the slope’s varied soil: otter bush prefers moist ground, whereas silver jubilee’ prefers free-draining, poor soil. All are silver evergreens and each flowers in summer, so the slope will have something to show off all year round.
