Dance star shines light on water-friendly garden
South African dancer Johannes Radebe has modelled a dress made of flood and drought resilient flowers for international charity WaterAid.
Radebe, a star of BBC's dance show Strictly, was celebrating WaterAid’s garden in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which runs from 21-25 May 2024.
His dress was made of the flowers that feature in the garden, which is inspired by WaterAid’s work with communities around the world to help provide a reliable source of clean water, whatever the weather.
Radebe said, "Not only was the dress itself stunning and made of beautiful flowers but it also crucially comes with a powerful message – that water is precious, and we must protect it.”
The WaterAid Garden was created by award-winning landscape designer Tom Massey and celebrated architect Je Ahn.
"Not only was the dress made of beautiful flowers, it also crucially comes with a powerful message – that water is precious, and we must protect it.”
The garden features flood and drought resilient plants to adapt to a changing climate, such as willow, rosemary, olive foliage, corn flower and fern leaves. Its centre-piece is a rainwater-harvesting pavilion inspired by WaterAid’s work in communities like Safoge in Ethiopia. The garden’s features allows all water that falls on the garden to be stored and used.
One-in-ten people around the world do not have clean water, and the climate crisis is making it worse, with more frequent and extreme floods polluting water sources and droughts drying up springs.
Radebe said, “It’s easy for us to take water for granted when we have it on tap, and I was fortunate enough to grow up with clean water at home - but I know many communities in South Africa and around the world are deprived of this basic right, having a massive impact on their lives.
"It’s impossible to escape the effects that climate change is having both here and across the world, making life even more challenging for those living on the front line of the climate crisis.
“WaterAid is doing amazing work helping get clean water to people and their garden at Chelsea Flower Show next week will highlight the crucial importance of clean water for all, whatever the weather.”
Garden designer Tom Massey, said: “In recent years, British horticulture has felt the effects of extreme weather - including heatwaves, drought and flooding.
"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.”