The WATERAID SHOW GARDEN
The WaterAid show garden appeared at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2024, and was designed to harnessed the power of rainwater and highlight the importance of sustainable water management to combat the effects of climate change. The garden was awarded an RHS Gold Medal.
The garden was supported by the grant-making charity Project Giving Back and was a collaboration between celebrated architect Je Ahn of Studio Weave and award-winning landscape designer Tom Massey.
The climate crisis is a water crisis, and a staggering 90% of all natural disasters are water-related, with more frequent and extreme floods polluting water sources and droughts drying up springs. The WaterAid garden addressed the challenges presented by an ever-changing climate. It focused on sustainable water management and featured a colourful array of plant species designed to deal with varying amounts of rainfall, and materials that are reclaimed and repurposed for a lighter carbon footprint.
The centrepiece of the thought-provoking design was a rainwater-harvesting pavilion inspired by WaterAid’s work with communities around the world to develop sustainable water solutions. The structure efficiently harvests rainfall, filtering and storing this precious resource for later use such as irrigating planting whilst also slowing flow and providing shade.
Designer Tom Massey, said:
“Clean water is the essence of life and I’m thrilled to be working with WaterAid on this important issue. In recent years, British horticulture has felt the effects of extreme weather - including heatwaves, drought and flooding. As our climate changes, water scarcity and insecurity will become more commonplace – here in the UK and around the world. We can all do things to help mitigate climate change, such as improving soil health, planting greenery to provide shade, and, most importantly, managing water sustainably. The WaterAid Garden demonstrates how a resilient and beautiful garden could be achieved whatever the future holds.”
Co-designer, architect Je Ahn, added:
“The message of our garden is one of hope, showing how resilience and innovation can help us all to adapt and flourish in the face of the climate crisis. We would like the WaterAid garden to encourage visitors to think about ways to conserve water and incorporate elements of rainwater harvesting into their own gardens.”
All the plants were chosen to cope with varying amounts of water. They included water violet (Hottonia palustris), which can indicate whether a water source is clean or polluted, and alder tree (Alnus glutinosa), which has nodules on its roots that can absorb nitrogen and toxic heavy metals from the ground, improving soil health and fertility.
Collecting rain is one of the simplest forms of good quality water supply, but effective storage is often a challenge. WaterAid harnesses a range of simple, affordable rainwater collection methods to bring essential water supplies to households and schools in areas prone to water shortages or water contamination. Rooftop collection means water can be harvested near to home, so women and girls do not need to spend hours walking to collect water, and this technique has inspired the structure Je and Tom have designed for the WaterAid Garden, maximising the surface area for rain to be collected and stored.
Gemma Day, WaterAid’s Global and UK Communications Director said:
“One in ten people globally lack clean water, and climate change is making the situation worse, as more frequent flooding affects fragile water sources, while longer droughts dry up springs. At WaterAid, we are supporting communities across the world in areas heavily impacted by climate change, helping to ensure a reliable supply of clean water which, together with decent toilets and good hygiene, protects people from the worst effects of weather extremes.
The WaterAid Garden combined Je’s architectural, art and public realm background with Tom’s horticultural and landscape design expertise. This was Je’s first time exhibiting at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Tom’s fourth, having previously won gold and silver-gilt medals.
The WaterAid garden will be relocated to a permanent home in the North of England to inspire a future generation of gardeners about effective rainwater collection and the wise use of water in gardens.
Supported by Project Giving Back
Built by Landscape Associates
Plants by Hortus Loci
Pavilion design / fabrication by Cake Industries & Mule Studio
Other metalwork by Surrey Ironcraft
Water Feature by Water Artisans
Timberwork by Sebastian Cox
Photographs by Alister Thorpe
For more details on WaterAid visit wateraid.org/uk
