It is a question that has crossed my mind each time I have visited Eden and while conducting research. Why place what is arguably one of the modern wonders of the world in a forgotten valley of Cornwall? Well according to Sir Nicholas Grimshaw (the lead architect of Eden) there are many valid reasons for this choice. The first reason is due to the climate, as Cornwall is the most southerly county in the UK it is therefore the warmest and this can amount to “considerable energy savings” (The Architecture of Eden, 2002). Another is due to Cornwall’s history as a county of ports. Many 18th and 19th century sea voyages brought many new botanical species to England, with the first ‘port of call’ (no pun intended) being Cornwall. This culminated in these exotic plant samples finding their way into the gardens of country houses in and around Cornwall. The third and possibly the most obvious reason is due to Cornwall’s tourism industry. Every year thousands of people descend on Cornwall from all over Britain for summer breaks offering a guaranteed revenue to successful tourist attractions.