WaterAid Garden

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 will address the challenges presented by an ever-changing climate. It focuses on sustainable water management and features 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 is a rainwater-harvesting pavilion inspired by WaterAid’s work with communities around the world to develop sustainable water solutions. This structure efficiently harvests rainfall, filtering and storing this precious resource for drinking and irrigating 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 have been chosen to cope with varying amounts of water. They include 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.  

The WaterAid Garden combines Je’s architectural, art and public realm background with Tom’s horticultural and landscape design expertise. This will be Je’s first time exhibiting at Chelsea Flower Show and Tom’s fourth, having previously won gold and silver-gilt medals. Following the show, the WaterAid garden will be relocated to a permanent home to inspire a future generation of gardeners about effective rainwater collection and the wise use of water in gardens. 

Plant Lists

Zone 1: Submergent zone; permanently submerged in more than 300mm water

Zone 2: Emergent zone; 0 to 300mm of water

Zone 3: Wet meadow zone; permanent moisture, occasionally flooded in periods of excessive rainfall

Zone 3: Grasses, Shrubs and Trees

Zone 4: Upland zone; seldom or never submerged

Zone 4: Grasses and Shrubs