The first plants for Eden Project Morecambe have arrived on site, giving the Lancashire seaside town its clearest sign yet that the long-promised eco-attraction is moving from plans to ground. The plants, moved from London, will become part of a new 1.5-acre public community garden at the gateway to the site.

The move matters now because the project is still years from opening, with Eden Project Morecambe due to welcome visitors in 2028. But the arrival of the planting marks the start of the attraction’s physical build-out, turning an idea that has been on the drawing board into something that can be seen, tended and eventually walked through.

The plants came from the Bring Me Sunshine Garden, an award-winning display shown at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2026. The garden, inspired by comedian Eric Morecambe, won a Silver-Gilt medal and the Environmental Innovation Award, and was designed by Harry Holding and Alex Michaelis with help from young adults in Morecambe who are not in employment or education.

Dewey Lord said the first step towards bringing the Eden Project to life means a great deal to him personally because he is from Morecambe, adding that it is rewarding to see the vision begin to take shape. He said he was excited to take the project into its next phase now that the plants have arrived in Morecambe ahead of installation in their permanent home.

The relocated planting will form the foundation of the new garden, which is being built around species chosen to thrive in coastal conditions and reflect the ecology of Morecambe Bay. Among the arrivals are coastal and pollinator-friendly plants, herbs and seasonal highlights such as Gladiolus byzantinus, with thousands more plants, many grown at Eden Project Cornwall, being kept at a nursery in Morecambe until construction is complete.

At the centre of the garden will sit a solar-powered, shell-shaped canopy, where young people will be able to learn horticulture, foraging, crafts and digital skills. That gives the project a practical purpose beyond landscaping: it is meant to be a public space and a training ground, not just a showpiece for the opening day. The one question still hanging over the site is the timing of the garden’s final installation, which has not yet been confirmed.