Health & Horticulture Conference

The international Health and Horticulture Conference 2022 was held over two afternoons, on 17 and 18 March, in the RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science at RHS Garden Wisley. This was the first fully hybrid conference with attendees and speakers joining us in person at Wisley and remotely.

The aims of the conference were to positively impact health and wellbeing and to tackle the decline in green space and gardens in the UK.

Part 1: Introduction and opening speech

12.30pm: Welcome

• Professor Alistair Griffiths, Director of Science and Collections, RHS

12.35pm: Opening speech

• Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Conservative MP for Taunton Deane

Evidence-based design in landscape and healthcare

12.45pm: Nature experience, restoration, and health and follow up Q&A

• Professor Terry Hartig, Professor of Environmental Psychology, Institute for Housing and Urban Research & Department of Psychology, Uppsala University

Panel discussion

1.15pm: An international perspective

• Moderator: Chris Young, Consultant gardening publisher, Dorling Kindersley Publishing
• Professor Seiko Goto, Professor, School of Environmental Science, Nagasaki University, Japan
• Dr Robert Zarr, Founder & Medical Director, Park Rx America, USA
• Dr Anna María Pálsdóttir, Associate professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweden
• Angelia Sia, Deputy Director, National Parks Board, Singapore

2.15pm: Refreshment break / networking time – end of part 1

Part 2: Healthy places for people

2.35pm: Creating health through nature – now and in the future and follow up Q&A

• Lord Nigel Crisp, House of Lords

3pm: Why is gardening ‘good’ for the average gardener? and follow up Q&A

• Dr Ross Cameron, Director of Research, Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield

3.25pm: Research and community – The city and the street and follow up Q&A

• Dr Lauriane Chalmin-Pui, Wellbeing Fellow, Royal Horticultural Society and University of Sheffield

3.50pm: Refreshment break / networking time / wellbeing garden tour

4.20pm: Landscape design for restorative gardens in healthcare and follow up Q&A

• Prof Clare Cooper Marcus, Professor Emerita, Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of California, Berkeley

• Prof Alistair Griffiths, Director of Science and Collections, RHS

5pm: Networking time / optional Wellbeing Walk in Wisley (gardens open until 6pm) – end of part 2

Part 1: Partnerships beyond health and horticulture

12.30pm: Introduction to day 2 and summary of day 1

• Dr Lauriane Chalmin-Pui, Wellbeing Fellow, RHS and University of Sheffield

12.35pm: Community and therapeutic gardening at RHS Garden Bridgewater (part 1 Ozichi Brewster and part 2 Chloe Ellis) and follow up Q&A

• Ozichi Brewster and Chloe Ellis, Therapeutic Gardener and Horticulturist, RHS

1.15pm: The critical significance of urban form and planning on healthy green spaces and follow up Q&A

• Professor Hugh Barton, WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Urban Environments, University of the West of England

1.40pm: Refreshment break / networking time – end of part 1

Part 2: The next three years

2pm: Three-year roadmap activity

• All attendees participating in breakout groups

4pm: The future and cross-sectoral collaboration and follow up Q&A

• Professor Alistair Griffiths, Director of Science and Collections, RHS

4.30pm: Close day 2 / networking time / optional Wellbeing Walk in Wisley (gardens open until 6pm) – end of part 2