With a widespread drought forecast for the UK until early 2013, the garden has been designed to inspire the public to create gardens that minimise water waste.

The garden uses a network of channels and - central to the design - a Richter Spielergate Lock Gate provided courtesy of Timberplay.

The garden has been developed in association with Southern Counties Water to highlight the water shortages in the area.

The Lock Gate will be used to control the flow of collected rain water into a series of channels, which will irrigate the garden.

The layout of the garden references the cracks in the earth produced by prolonged dry weather. Water collected via a storm water channel is used to permeate the ground. It is then fed into a terraced rainwater pond and recirculated.

Nicholas Dexter heads up a Brighton-based garden design consultancy.