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IPPS conveners and delegates at IPPS 2024

Key minds collaborated at the 16th International People Plant Symposium last week to encourage, support and increase the use of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) and other nature based interventions (NBI) - leading to better health outcomes around the world and highlighting the significant impact gardening for health is having in fields around the world and the potential to scale up.

With the theme of ‘Cultivation of Human Health Through Horticulture’, the symposium was hosted in Reading, Berkshire by gardening for health charity Thrive, co-convened with the Horticulture Therapy Institute and Konkuk University.

Speaking at the event Keynote speaker Dr Rachel Bragg OBE who has been actively involved in the development and promotion of green care, care farming and STH sectors in the UK said: “Today's symposium has been fantastic. There's been such a range of different people talking about how nature, plants, growing and gardening can have an impact on people's mental and physical wellbeing. Bringing everybody together like this to talk about how we can share a common language and work collaboratively to help the sector as a whole as well as individually is great.”

Rachel addressed how to bring clarity to the sector encouraging delegates to find a common language, and focus on the primary outcomes of their service and the needs of the individuals.

Packed with over 35 presentations including posters and garden tours, social and therapeutic practitioners, green care and medical professionals, academics and researchers heard global perspectives on the impact of plants on human health.

Some of the key thoughts from the day were:

  • STH is now mainstream in more ways than many of us fantasised about, but we must speak the same language. - Anna Baker Cresswell, founder of Gardening Leave and High Ground charities.
  • So much of our life is dominated by screens, connecting with the earth and the cycle of life is an important antidote. - Dr Sue Stuart-Smith, psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author of The Well Gardened Mind.
  • There's a gardening solution for everyone, but there's so much going on, we've got to be careful about communicating what it is we do, for whom and how we do it, because too many multiple outcomes can be confusing. - Dr Rachel Bragg OBE
  • Adapt to patients’ requirements as you go. It’s the process, not the result, that is important. - Zoe Stiles, Social and Therapeutic Horticulturalist, Milford Care Centre
  • We are ‘gardening people’ - like seeds, we need the right conditions to thrive. - Jay Rice, PhD, Horticultural Therapy Institute
  • Without awareness we can’t have recognition, so let’s work together. Are you taking part in the next World Therapeutic Horticulture Day? Save the date - 18 May 2025! - Fiona Thackeray, Trellis

Thrive CEO Ben Thomas concluded the day by saying: “It has been a real joy to celebrate the work and learnings of organisations across the sector. I'm confident the connections made and research shared will help us all to further the impact of our work. Gardening for health is having significant impact in a very broad range of fields around the world. We see pockets of incredible outcomes, and now we need policymakers, commissioners and medical professionals to see the potential to scale up.”

Catch up on the discussion from the day here

Interested to know more about the International People Plant Symposium or our work at Thrive? Get in touch

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Tea outside garden