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A big ol’ knees-up in honour of our planet, Earth Day is the greenest day of the year and celebrations will go all out in 2020, its fiftieth anniversary.
Aldwych’s stunning Somerset House is one of the first to reveal epic planty plans, and needs your help.
It’s asking folks to get green-fingered and fill the grand neoclassical courtyard – which usually hosts open-air cinema or the ice rink – with greenery as part of ‘Planting’ by artist Yin Xiuzhen, a big interactive installation formed of 100 car mufflers. The public will be invited to augment the sculpture with plants.
Whether you want to lend your houseplants or donate some potted flowers, organisers want you to bring ’em along. And if you’ve accidentally killed all your cacti? Even the least-gifted gardener is welcome to come and tend to the sea of green or just chill amongst the foliage.
Xiuzhen hopes that, by working together as a community to help the plants grow, visitors can escape the mad dash of London and reflect on other ways to help nurture the planet.
The installation will be free to enter and open from April 9 to May 1. It’s just one part of the Earth Day 2020 programme at Somerset House, which will also include new commissions, workshops and exhibitions seeking to address the climate crisis.
Now, channel your inner Greta and get planting.
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