A landscape gardener in Horsham, Harry Smith-Haggett, has been planting flowers in potholes to highlight the poor condition of the town's roads.
Smith-Haggett’s TikTok videos of his efforts have garnered over two million views. He explained that he took up the initiative out of frustration with the long-standing pothole issues in the area, saying, "People have been complaining about Horsham’s potholes for years, so I thought I’d try to spread some positivity—and it seems to be working."
In several cases, the potholes he decorated with flowers have now been repaired.
To safely draw attention to the issue, Smith-Haggett dons a custom pink hi-vis vest labeled “Pretty Pot Holes” while working. He added that he wanted to find a way to raise awareness without posing a danger or causing disruption.
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) acknowledged residents' frustrations but urged people to avoid going onto the roads for safety reasons. A council spokesperson stated, "We take road maintenance very seriously and have allocated more resources to address potholes and improve road conditions."
