The Eden Project (Part Three)

It is not all hot and steamy at The Eden Project, for which I was extremely grateful because much as I love steamy rain forests, it was nice to walk into the Mediterranean Biome where you will find:

A perfume garden

A Mediterranean garden

A citrus grove

A South African garden

A Californian garden

"Meander through the landscapes of the Mediterranean, South Africa and California and discover the amazing variety of plants growing in these warm temperate regions of the world.  

With the sweet aromas of herbs in the air, you'll take an unforgettable journey through a paradise of brightly coloured flowers, gnarled trunks and bountiful vines."

(http://www.edenproject.com/visit/whats-here/mediterranean-biome)

The above website has a Google Street View virtual visit which is interesting, but of course you miss the scents of this biome and scents are, for me, what it's all about. 

I remember the cork trees from my childhood. We used to pass them on our way back to The Rock of Gibraltar after sorties into Spain. So exotic in the days before mass foreign tourism, to live somewhere like that, I have only just come to appreciate the courage it took for my parents to move abroad with us.

So, these cork pigs made me smile.

And remember...

 The Rites of Dionysus.

My favourite book, and one that I listen to on Audible when I can't relax sufficiently to fall sleep, which happens most nights since I was first diagnosed, is The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
And if you've read it you'll understand why I was fascinated by this.

Here's the link to The Eden Project site 

A cautionary tale for those who ferment the fruits of the vine.
Or for young Greek scholars in works of fiction.

And then, after meandering, lunch at the Mediterranean Terrace.
Lamb tagine with couscous and a Cornish beer.
Delicious, absolutely delicious.

And my feathered lunch companions thought so too.
I know, perhaps I shouldn't have fed the finches, the blackbird and the robin but I did.
And we all enjoyed the encounter.

A corner of The South African Garden, the fynbos habitat of ever-greens that have to cope with a soil that is low in nutrients and a landscape that is prone to bush fires.  

Today, in the wild, fires are deliberately started because many of the plants will only germinate in the ashes after a fire.

Nature's own phoenix plants.




Back outside, another insect artwork.

And a collection of horses

" James deCaires Taylor's hybrid sculptures fuse oil extraction machinery with the equine form, referencing the working horse whilst drawing attention to our ongoing dependency on fossil fuels and the potential apocalyptic outcome of climate change. Each of the horses has a different rider. The suited figures illustrate an attitude of denial or ambivalence towards our current climate crisis whereas the young riders represent hope in effecting future change."
(http://www.edenproject.com/visit/whats-here/the-rising-tide-sculpture)

There is so much more...

The Core, the outside gardens, the zip-wire ... 

But I hope these posts have given people a taste of The Eden Project and that you'll all go ans visit and support this educational charity and all of those who are dedicated to it.