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If you grew up in Cornwall like me, or have simply spent a lot of time there, you’ll know the Eden Project as one of the county’s most iconic attractions. Now, the botanical bosses of the Eden Project are opening a new garden in London.
Eden is opening an ‘urban oasis’ in Canary Wharf. The new green haven won’t be under one of the Eden Project’s iconic domes, but out in the open air. With a network of floating gardens and boardwalks, Eden Dock promises to create new habitats for wildlife, boosting the biodiversity in the built-up London area. New species in the gardens include wading birds, waterfowl and songbirds, as well as bees, eels and species of plants rarely seen before in London.
The verdant sanctuary is also home to a beautiful living artwork, called ‘Nature Rising’, that features more than 20 living figures made of ligustrum – a flowering shrub – dotted around the dock.
Sir Tim Smit KBE, co-founder of the Eden Project, said: ‘The iconic Canary Wharf is a great location in which to ground the lightning of innovation around enhancing biodiversity in an archetypal urban landscape.’
He added: ‘It is our belief that the varied surfaces, textures and environments found at Eden Dock will encourage a greater diversity of life than much of the open farmland in this country. Moreover, the attention to life and beauty and the softer edges that characterise the natural worlds will directly influence the happiness and sense of belonging of all who work, live and visit here.’
Time Out and the Eden Project
The Eden Project is one of the best places to visit in Cornwall – but its charms will soon feature in new sites around the UK. Besides London, an Eden Project is being built in Morecambe northern England, and you can have a look at designs for it here.
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