Colin Porter from Landscape, Gardens and Health network was just one of the inspirational speakers at the recent Plant Network event held on 13th/14th September at the Eden Project in Cornwall. 

Plant Network has shared information from the event on their website.  Have a look at the range of presentations from Colin's work in a hospice garden to the concept of social prescribing which was explained by Heidi Morgan, Eden on Prescription Manager.

https://plantnetwork.org/meetings/training-days-visits/health-wellbeing-horticulture-gardens/

Image © Liz Ware 

​The Festival of Urban Landscapes was, as billed, ‘a small conference with a big difference’.  John Little, Greenspace Manager at the Clapton Park Estate, Hackney, invited an outstanding group of speakers to Hilldrop, his family’s four-acre wildlife garden in Essex and then added great food and music to the mix.  A fascinating bunch of people, passionate and knowledgeable about urban nature, signed up to hear what they had to say.

​More than 50 delegates attended our conference The therapeutic value of landscapes and gardens: evidence-based design and beyond at the Penny Brohn Cancer Care Centre in Bristol on Friday 22 September. The day provided an opportunity to hear about current projects and research from keynote speakers, panel presentations as well as to partake in practical activities outdoors. A big thank you to our hosts at Penny Brohn who allowed us to use their beautiful house and garden – and provided some great food too! It was a perfect place for us all to share interests and ideas.
 
LGHN Committee 

Landscape, Gardens and Health Network conference 2017
 
The therapeutic value of landscapes and gardens: evidence-based design and beyond
Penny Brohn Cancer Care Centre, Bristol, UK
Friday 22 September 2017
 
The conference will provide a forum for those wishing to discuss and debate the role of therapeutic landscapes and gardens today. It will introduce current research and innovative approaches to nature, everyday landscapes and wellbeing.
 
There will be four key themes:

• The role of volunteers
• The value of collaborative/holistic design processes
• Therapeutic opportunities in the everyday landscape
• The idea of healing spaces and settings.

Few of us would disagree with Lord Crisp, the opening speaker at the Health and Horticulture Conference 2016 when he quoted the WHO: 'modern societies actively market unhealthy lifestyles.' The key role of horticulture and green infrastructure in reversing this situation was the subject of many of the presentations that followed.
 
The RHS has made pdfs of the presentations and podcasts of the conference available for circulation.
 
https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/Ornamental-Horticulture-Roundtable/Health-and-Horticulture-Conference-2016

The Landscape, Gardens and Health Network was delighted to take part in the European Healthcare Design Congress and Exhibition this week. Organised by Architects for Health and SALUS Global Knowledge Exchange, the event was held at the Royal College of Physicians – a prestigious venue with an expertly planted Medicinal Garden.

Colin Porter, a founder member of the network, chaired a well-attended afternoon of presentations on the theme ‘Landscape design: nature and the therapeutic environment.’ 

For brief summaries of presentations and points made during Q&A

​We are pleased to announce that the Landscape, Gardens and Health Network will be an endorsing partner for the prestigious European Healthcare Design 2016 Congress. Providing an interdisciplinary forum for more than 300 senior level policy-makers, researchers and practitioners from around the globe, the European Healthcare Design 2016 Congress & Exhibition will be held on 27–28 June 2016 at the Royal College of Physicians in London, UK. Organised by Architects for Health and SALUS Global Knowledge Exchange, registration is now open at http://www.europeanhealthcaredesign.eu. The preliminary programme for the conference is available and includes a session entitled ‘Landscape design: nature and the therapeutic environment’. See this link (pdf)