Posted on Thursday 1st June, 2017

Two
spectacular new features at the Eden Project are due to star in BBC Two’s
Gardeners’ World programme on Friday June 2.
The
show is set to feature artwork from an award-winning show garden as well as
Eden’s new Western Australia Garden in the Mediterranean Biome showcasing the
fascinating and beautiful flora of the region.
Leading
garden designer Arit Anderson created the climate change-themed Near Future
Garden, which won a gold medal at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show last
year (2016).
She
has brought elements of her Garden to the outdoors at the Eden Project, as a
permanent addition to the energy trail along the zig zag path, the main route
towards the Biomes.
Planting
in this area is dedicated to ancient plants, showing their evolution through
time. The Near Future Garden artworks compliment this and add a strong message
on climate change.
A
striking vortex of black “oil” symbolises how the continual burning of fossil
fuels is depleting the Earth of the essential organic carbon that it needs to
balance increasing carbon dioxide emissions.
This
unique artistic interpretation of the impact of oil was conceived by Arit and
built in conjunction with a specialist water feature company called Tills
Innovations.
Further
down the path, a series of three hand-crafted wooden sculptures represent nature’s
powerful renewable energies - the sun, wind and water.
These
were designed and created by Charlie Whinney to provide three-dimensional
structures that can be appreciated from two viewpoints. Each element –
the sun, wind and rain (water) - calls people to harness these natural sources
of energy to power the world now to ensure the legacy of a low carbon future.
Arit
said: “I’m so excited that Near Future Garden has now evolved and become part
of the Eden Project communication about climate change. This is a huge honour,
and thank you to everyone who was involved.”
Eden’s
Director of Interpretation Dr Jo Elworthy said: “We were all delighted that
Arit was happy for Eden to provide a permanent home for the garden
installations. They look stunning and help to communicate the vital stories
around climate change and what we can do to help address it.
“They
beautifully complement the story of the Weather Maker in our Rainforest Biome
showing how the rainforest helps to regulate the world’s climate.”
The
episode of Gardeners’ World is also due to feature the new Western Australia
Garden in the Mediterranean Biome.
The
garden is full of fantastical and freaky exotics such as grass trees, kangaroo
paws and wax flowers.
The
unique body of plants is all the more remarkable because, in its natural
habitat, it survives and thrives on some of the Earth’s oldest and most
infertile soil.
Eden
has collaborated with Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth, Western
Australia, to recreate the iconic habitats of the south west of the vast state.
Their senior curator, Grady Brand, travelled to Eden to help the expert
horticulture team with this large-scale installation.
For more information,
please see www.edenproject.com