New photo exhibition at Eden

Here's a film of local photographer Trevor Ashby talking about one of his photos currently on display in an exhibition at Eden. Trevor's exhibition is called Earthly Delights and is a series of high quality, hand-printed and toned black and white photographs using plant material gathered from Edens Biomes.

Schools Garden Competition

Schools ins the UK are being given the chance to have their garden redesigned by the Eden Project and up to £8,000 towards making it happen. This great prize is part of a campaign launched by Eden and The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Centre, "Kids Go Green". The campaign aims to get children outside to learn about their natural environment and to encourage schools to regenerate and enhance their own surroundings.



During September, schools nationwide will be sent an educational pack including a "how to" guide to planting, a bulb timeline, plus posters, quizzes and tips.

Planting bulbs is an easy, cheap and effective way for children to brighten up playgrounds, car parks and pathways and the autumn term is the perfect time for schools to get digging so that the bulbs are ready to flower for Spring.

With up to £8,000 to spend on creating a fantastic outside space the winning school will be able to do anything from building a biosphere to transforming an unloved playground into a wildflower garden.

To enter, children in years 1 – 6 will be invited to submit a poem about the wonder of bulbs such as daffodils or tulips.

Tracey Smith, Eden’s Commercial Relationship Manager, said: “We are delighted to be involved with this project. Our schools team have worked with over 3,000 schools already and it’s great to get children interested in planting and their natural environment."

See http://www.flowerbulbs.co.uk/ for more information about the competition.

Trevor Ashby plant photo exhibition opens at the Eden Project on September 12

An exquisite exhibition of plant photographs entitled Earthly Delights, by Trevor Ashby, one of Britain’s finest darkroom craftsmen, opens at the Eden Project on Friday (September 12).

The Cornwall-based photographer has been inspired by the intricate structures of the many exotic leaves that fall on the paths of Eden’s biomes during a 14-month residency.

Trevor said: “It all started when I saw a leaf on the ground which seemed to have a life of its own. It looked more like a strange animal than a dead leaf. The plants are shot in situ isolated against the velvet, the subject seems to glow within infinity.

“Eden is an amazing place to work. It was only after frequent visits that I started to see beyond the obvious and make new discoveries about what lay in the heart of Eden, such as tiny leaf skeletons and fallen flowers."

“There is a huge sense of mystery when taking these photos - you don’t know exactly what hidden beauty may be revealed in the darkroom. Sometimes I can’t sleep because I get so excited and I have to get up to develop the film at 2am.”

The result is a collection of beautifully-crafted black and white images going on show at the Core education centre. The exhibition runs until November 30 and is open to all visitors.