Peter joins the Eden Project as it prepares to make horticulture the centrepiece of its forthcoming 25th birthday celebrations next year (2026). He will lead on the strategic vision for horticulture, ensuring it is the star of the Eden Project show.
His new role will see him taking charge of a 50-strong Eden Project horticulture team.
This team manages and tends the plant collections in the world-famous Rainforest and Mediterranean Biomes, as well as more than eight hectares of outdoor gardens, an enormous 72-hectare outer estate and Growing Point, the Eden Project’s groundbreaking new plant nursery which is heated by deep geothermal energy.
Peter will also direct the horticulture for the new Eden Projects being planned for Morecambe in Lancashire and Dundee in Scotland. Both projects and their plant collections will be a reflection of their surrounding environments and cultures.
Peter embarks on his Eden Project career following 19 years at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), most recently as Garden Manager for the Hardy Ornamental department at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey.
Peter said: "I’m truly overjoyed to be joining the Eden Project team. As someone who is passionate about plants and the role they play in enriching all our lives, I feel a real affinity with the work the Eden Project is doing to connect people with nature, a mission that has never been more important.
“I look forward to working with everyone at the Eden Project, to build on the success of the incredible site in Cornwall, as well as the exciting new major projects in Morecambe and Dundee.
“I leave the Royal Horticultural Society after 19 wonderful years and I am immensely proud of the work I've helped deliver with the incredible team at RHS Garden Wisley. I started at Wisley as a diploma student, going on to work in and then manage the Bicentennial Glasshouse before taking up my most recent role as Garden Manager for Hardy Ornamental.
“In that job I had the privilege to work on such projects as the reimagining of the Oudolf Landscape and the creation of Clear Lake, a new rain water capture lake. During these 19 years, the RHS has nurtured me and helped me grow and for this I shall be eternally grateful.
“While I am leaving the RHS, I look forward to being able to bring continued collaboration between these two important charities in the future."
Andy Jasper, Chief Executive Officer of the Eden Project, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Peter to the Eden Project team, he brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm and he will be instrumental in taking our horticulture to the next level.
“Peter is a horticultural showman and will bring excitement and wonder to our plant collections as we approach the end of our first quarter century. His arrival at the Eden Project heralds a new era for our gardens and is proof that there has never been a better time to work in horticulture.”
Tim Upson, RHS Director of Gardens and Horticulture, said: “‘We are delighted that Peter Jones has been appointed as Director of Horticulture at the Eden Project.
“This is a remarkable achievement for Peter and reflects his exceptional leadership, horticultural expertise, and the significant impact he has made during his time at Wisley. His new role at the Eden Project is a wonderful next step, and we couldn’t be prouder of him as he embarks on this exciting chapter.
“This move demonstrates a key role played by the RHS in growing some of the UK’s best horticultural talent, and we are proud to see our people thrive both within and beyond the organisation.”
Peter is a passionate and driven horticulturist, with a love for all things that grow. His personal passion for hardy trees is driven by a strong belief that they are a key part of the climate crisis solution. During his time at the RHS, Peter oversaw an increase in the volume of National Plant Collections of these important plants.
