Flood Re: Contain the Rain Garden

The garden

The Flood Re: Contain the Rain Garden draws inspiration from traditional Persian design, creating a tranquil sanctuary within a compact urban space. Designed for a single person or couple with an environmental conscience, it offers an immersive retreat from the bustle of city life. The garden is intended to be enjoyed both from indoors, with views of lush greenery, and from a small seating area nestled among vibrant planting, providing a sense of peace and escape.

At the heart of the design is a series of hexagonal planters that maximise every inch of space, allowing for varied heights and layouts. These planters can be rearranged to adapt to different garden shapes, making the design flexible and practical. Lush planting helps keep the garden cool during hotter temperatures, while permeable surfaces, integrated water storage and thoughtful planting work together to manage excess rainwater, combining beauty with resilience in a sustainable urban oasis.

Key plants

To be confirmed

Plants supplier: to be confirmed

Sustainability notes

The garden will include water storage and permeable surfaces where possible and resilient, drought-tolerant planting.

The designer – John Howlett

John comes from several generations of gardeners and head gardeners. He graduated from the London College of Garden Design with a distinction in July 2024. John worked as a Television Director for over 15 years, directing high end dramas for the BBC and Channel 4 amongst others, before deciding to follow his passion for sustainable design and horticulture. His first garden, The Rain Garden, at RHS Malvern won a Gold medal.

About the sponsor – Flood Re

There are over five million homes in the UK at risk of flooding and Flood Re is committed to raising awareness of these risks while promoting simple, affordable steps gardeners can take to reduce the impact. Building on their successful showcase at RHS Chelsea in 2024 with Flood Re: The Flood Resilient Garden, the organisation is continuing its mission to educate homeowners and developers by demonstrating how effective water management and thoughtful planting can mitigate flood risk on a domestic scale. At the same time, they aim to prove that even the smallest spaces can feature beautifully designed, practical gardens that combine resilience with aesthetic appeal.

Garden legacy

The garden relocation details are to be confirmed.