17th May

We returned safe and sound after a good week. The boys enjoyed the sandy beaches, and we were all impressed with our visit to the Eden Project. What struck me was not just a good display of plants from around the world and the famous tropical rainforest and Mediterranean biomes, but the philosophy behind the place. It is what makes it a project as opposed to a garden. Tim Smit, the creator of it saw a disused china clay quarry, what he described as a scar left over from man’s industrial quest to make wealth, and he wanted to generate beauty, supply life and show what can happen when enough people are working towards a cause they believe in. The result is heart-warming and inspirational. The environmental care they take is positive too. One example is that they collect the rain water and use it to water the plants and to flush their toilets.

The panorama of the Eden Project, Cornwall

On our return, we witnessed the results of our own generation of vegetation. The lawn was a meadow with the grass and especially the clover reaching great heights that I thought would have been impossible given only a week. The weeds are doing well, all the bluebells have finished flowering which is one disappointment, and now all the tulips and daffodils are just leaves and stems. The lower branches of the privet and the other unidentified similar plant have leapt out and up, almost smothering the rose bush there that has itself shot up and produced a few promising buds. I have no idea what their names are but from our left hand side neighbours we have a few branches coming over the fence with pretty, small blue flowers, and from our other neighbours we have a similar array of branches with larger red flowers along their twigs. They both look very nice.

 

Inside the Mediterranean biome at the Eden project

What about my seeds though? There was a note from our neighbours saying that try as they might, they were unable to get into the conservatory. My heart skipped a beat and it was with a due sense of trepidation that I ventured into the conservatory to find my own Eden Project bursting with lush vegetation. The courgettes had come through and were looking great, the sweet peppers were a very healthy green, some with flower buds and most looking far more upright than when I left. The chillies had grown, some of the tomatoes had germinated, the petunias were astonishing – so much larger than before, and the Nicotiana – well, they actually look like they are enjoying life. Some are the same as before but there are a significant number which have really had a growth spurt and have decided to give it a really good go. The heat and lack of fresh water seems to have paid off, although it cannot be said they have been thirsty as all the compost was still moist. I had left some seeds outside on top of the water butt where the slugs can’t reach. Of 10 sunflowers only one has germinated, the chard has sprung up, but the squashes and pumpkins have not, but it is still early days. With all this growth, I dread to think what the state of the weeds is like at the allotment.

 

Later in the evening I went out to tie in the sweet peas that I planted along 3 fence panels. All are growing to some degree, with some far better than others. Sweet peas send out little springy tendrils that grip around other items for support but they need some help in their early days, unlike a strand of bindweed which I found in the vicinity which was twinning itself round a fuchsia without any outside help.

Next post: 18th May
Watch for more pictures from the Eden Project