Date – 6 May 2025
Time – 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
SAVE THE DATE
We will be holding a Social & Therapeutic Horticulture webinar on Tuesday 6 May 2025 at 6.00pm.
Gardens and green spaces can be powerful tools in healthcare, supporting recovery, emotional wellbeing, and social connection. This session explores the role of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) in clinical settings.
Join Matthew Lee (Horatio’s Garden Northern Ireland) and Louise Cracknell (Maggie’s Southampton) as they share their experiences of delivering therapeutic horticulture in medical environments.
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Matthew Lee – Head Gardener, Horatio’s Garden Northern Ireland
Matthew Lee brings a unique blend of healthcare and horticulture expertise to his role as Head Gardener at Horatio’s Garden Northern Ireland. With 18 years in the NHS, including work as a Nursing Auxiliary on a Stroke Unit and leading a charity for adults with learning disabilities, he later pursued a Foundation Degree in Horticulture at CAFRE, Greenmount Campus. His career journey led him to roles in horticultural therapy and social enterprise, working with individuals with learning disabilities, brain injuries, and autism. Now at Horatio’s Garden, Matthew combines high-end horticulture with therapeutic gardening, supporting patients in a specialist spinal injury unit. An Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, he is passionate about the healing power of gardens in clinical settings.
Louise Cracknell – Gardener, Maggie’s Southampton
With a background in science communication and museum exhibition design, Louise Cracknell transitioned into horticulture to explore the profound therapeutic benefits of gardens. After 15 years developing exhibitions and events at the Natural History Museum and other institutions, her passion for botany led her to complete RHS Level 2 qualifications at Capel Manor and Sparsholt colleges. Gaining experience with Petersham Nurseries, the National Trust, and as a self-employed gardener, she now works as Gardener at Maggie’s Southampton, where the garden provides a calm, restorative space for people affected by cancer. Inspired by the New Forest and designed by Sarah Price, the garden is an immersive, naturalistic haven within a hospital setting. Louise leads a team of volunteers, ensuring the garden thrives as an essential part of Maggie’s holistic support for those navigating a cancer diagnosis.
Open to members and non-members.
Free to members, £5 for non-members.