The Safe Green Space: Gardens and Health is a one-day symposium on the power of gardens to heal hosted by the Serge Hill Project and Gardening4Health.
Speakers include: De Sue Stuart-Smith, Tom Stuart-Smith, Arit Anderson, Dr Richard Claxton, Dr Olivia Chapple, Keely Siddiqui Charlick, Ashley Edwards, Joe Darrell, Ruth Madder, Millie Souter.
‘Everything that happens in a garden takes place in slow time; the flowers, shrubs and trees simply get on with growing quietly at their own pace and so it is with people’ - Dr Sue Stuart-Smith
The Safe Green Space: Gardens and Health is a one-day symposium hosted by the Serge Hill Project and Gardening4Health, at the new Apple House venue, set in the heart of a unique Plant Library of 1500 herbaceous perennials.
Bringing together some of the leading lights within horticultural therapy and garden design, speakers will explore the many ways that nature-based interventions can be beneficial to health and well-being.
Image copyright: Marianne Majerus
Information
As well as focussing on the design and therapeutic work of Horatio’s Gardens in NHS Spinal Injury units, speakers will bring a range of perspectives on therapeutic horticulture today and explore how we can work towards increasing provision. The day will offer something for gardeners, therapists and designers as well as those considering moving into the field
The event will start with a keynote speech from psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author of the bestselling book, The Well Gardened Mind, Dr Sue Stuart-Smith.
The morning continues with presentations from award-winning garden designer, TV presenter and writer Arit Anderson, Keely Siddiqui Charlick (Sunnyside Rural Trust), Richard Claxton (GP, Gardening4Health) and a presentation by Ruth Madder from Bridewell Gardens about the role of the horticultural therapist and routes into horticultural therapy as a career.
Following this, there will be time before a hearty vegetarian lunch to explore the Plant Library and chat to Head Gardener Millie Souter as well as visiting Tom and Sue’s private garden at The Barn nearby.To lead us into the afternoon, there will be a short musical interlude performed by Kurosh Davies who is one of the Directors of Tom Stuart-Smith Studio and a former professional viola player.
This will then be followed by an exploration of the work of the charity, Horatio’s Garden, which nurtures the wellbeing of people who have experienced a spinal injury in beautiful, green sanctuaries. Different perspectives on the healing power of the garden will be presented, including: Tom Stuart-Smith on designing and building the garden for the National Spinal Cord Injury Centre in Stanmore, London; Head Gardener Ashley Edwards on collaborating with Tom on the design and on day to day life in the garden; former patient on Joe Darrell on the experience of spending time in the garden and Dr Olivia Chapple, Founder and Chair of trustees, about the vision and future of the charity.
The day will be hosted in the Apple House, a stunning new timber building in the heart of an orchard and plant library, and home to The Serge Hill Project, a new community interest company founded by Tom and Sue Stuart-Smith, based on the understanding that working with nature can radically transform people’s health and wellbeing.
Accessibility
Accessible parking for those who require it is available at the entry to The Apple House. There is step-free access to the building and all areas. However, there are many potential trip hazards and uneven surfaces that may be encountered whilst visiting the gardens, along with gravel paths that aren’t suitable for walking frames with wheels. Please be aware that due to the ongoing building works around the Apple House, there may be additional hazards to look out for.