William’s elephant graveyard
Charity’s shocking wake-up call over Africa’s ivory poachers... in the gardens of Hampton Court
IT’S one of Britain’s most prestigious horticultural events – and visitors are used to quietly exploring designer gardens in the genteel grounds of a Royal palace.
Yet this year, the crowds are set for a graphic shock.
To highlight the horrors of the ivory trade, Prince William’s charity Tusk Trust is helping to create a dramatic archway of 200 elephant tusks at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in South-West London.
And, as the illustration above shows, the 164ft-long archway will run through a bleak, savannah-like landscape littered with elephant bones, including a skull riddled with bullet holes.
The tusks used to build the arch, which will tower over visitors passing along the walkway, are being made from silicon – and are a stark representation of the 100 elephants that are, on average, killed by poachers every day in Africa, according to the latest available figures.
Recordings of birds and rustling grass will simulate the sounds of Africa, immersing visitors in an extraordinarily realistic re-creation of elephants’ natural habitat. There will also be a watering hole of the type elephants often use.
Tusk Trust, of which the Duke of Cambridge is patron, is at the forefront of the campaign to end the ivory trade.
Prince William recently warned: ‘When I was born, there were one million elephants roaming Africa. By the time my daughter Charlotte was born, the numbers had crashed to just 350,000. And at the current pace of illegal poaching, when Charlotte turns 25, the African elephant will be gone from the wild.’
Costing £20,000 provided by charity sponsors, the Tusk display – called Not For Sale – has been created by award-winning garden design firm Ferguson & Whyte. Partner Mark Whyte said: ‘We hope it will provide such an emotive experience that people will wish to do something to tackle the trade.’
A dirt path resembling a typical African track will run through the 656sq ft circular garden, which is to be planted with species native to the continent. Among them will be three 10ft umbrella thorn trees, which are being shipped in from Oman.
Tusk Trust’s chief executive, Charlie Mayhew, said: ‘We think the display will deliver a very powerful message about the continuing plight of Africa’s elephants slaughtered by poachers for the illegal ivory trade.’
Nick Mattingley, director of shows at the Royal Horticultural Society, which runs the Hampton Court event, said: ‘If a garden at our show can highlight the shocking number of elephants still being killed every day for their ivory, then it can only be a positive thing.’
A stark reminder of the 100 animals killed a day