The Rhythm of Rainwater

The garden

Inspired by the musicality of rainfall, seven aluminium dipping tanks store harvested rainwater at the heart of the garden. Two are interlinked by a narrow rill, allowing water to move softly between them, while droplets falling onto steel tongue drums create organic music. Hydrophones within the tanks reveal the subtle sounds created beneath the surface.

The Environment Agency warns that England could face a daily water shortfall of up to 5 billion litres by 2055. The garden explores how using our own rainwater can help mitigate this challenge, moving rainwater harvesting beyond pure function to become a beautiful, central design feature.

Beneath a Corten steel pergola, a sunken seating area sits within predominantly lush green planting, punctuated with accents of colour beneath a characterful pine and a gnarled pear tree. At the rear of the garden stands a bespoke artist’s studio – a creative hub where the songwriter works surrounded by the landscape for inspiration.

The garden is an invitation to reflect on climate change, creativity and water stewardship and has been designed in conversations with Earth/Percent, the music community’s climate foundation. 

The planting

The colour scheme will feature lush and vivid greens, with white and accents of colours such as purple, brown, pink and orange.

Key plants:

• Alchemilla mollis: although a fairly commonly used plant, its leaves are great for showcasing water drops

• Hosta ‘Jurassic Park’: for its large leaves to capture rainfall sounds

• Pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’: for the lush green mounded structure it brings

• Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Rex’: brings a sense of urban jungle

• Utricularia bisquamata: an aquatic plant that feeds on midge larvae. Key in the garden to ensure users don't get eaten alive!

Plants supplied by: Palmstead Nurseries, Deepdale Trees

Sustainability notes

The garden promotes environmental responsibility by demonstrating how rainwater can be harvested and reused within the garden rather than relying on mains water. Timber has been sourced from Ashwells Timber, a specialist in reclaimed tropical hardwood. The studio is clad in corrugated sheet tin salvaged from a local Dutch barn due for demolition, while the doors and windows of the studio are unusable stock from Crittall Windows.

About the designer – Anthony Purdy

After achieving a degree in Garden and Landscape design, Anthony spent seven years working for a well renowned design and build practice. In 2016 he set up a design studio and has since seen the completion of over 100 projects, varying from urban city courtyards to historic properties set in sprawling rural gardens. 

Hear from the sponsor – The Dipping Tank Company

“In a short time, The Dipping Tank Company has grown from a personal project into a multi-award-winning product that is entirely made in the UK to the highest standards. Our aim is to turn rainwater collection into something people enjoy using, while making water storage a beautiful garden feature rather than something purely functional. Sponsoring a show garden at an RHS event gives us the opportunity to showcase the product in the kind of setting it was designed for. The quality of RHS Shows and the passion of their visitors makes this the perfect place to present our creation and inspire people to rethink how rainwater can be used and celebrated in the garden,” Andrew Cousins, Founder of The Dipping Tank Company.

The garden legacy

Key elements of the garden will be relocated to the courtyard garden of a new vinyl bar, The Parlecoot, in Eddington, Cambridgeshire. The garden will create a “green lung” for the local community within an otherwise hard landscaped area, while maintaining a natural connection to the project’s musical theme.