Therapeutic horticulture, community gardening, and gardening for health

We are delighted to be joined by Anna Baker Cresswell to share her experiences of Horticultural Therapy.

Anna’s Horticultural Therapy journey began in 2004 when her beloved mother, a Nightingale nurse and National Garden Scheme County Organiser, died. Anna decided to honour her memory by starting a charity, and after completing a Professional Development Diploma at Coventry University, Gardening Leave was granted charitable status in March 2007.

The premise for the charity was simple: Horticultural Therapy for veterans in walled gardens. Gardening Leave started in Scotland and by 2012 had projects in 4 walled gardens. With funding from the late Duke of Westminster and the Army Benevolent Fund, Anna started a pilot at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) Headley Court in 2013 to test the benefits of Horticultural Therapy as a rehab intervention for
injured serving personnel. HighGround, the second charity Anna started, continues to provide the Horticultural Therapy service at DMRC, now located in the Midlands.

Anna left HighGround in May 2025 to focus on promoting Horticultural Therapy to a wider audience and is looking forward to speaking at the Australian Institute of Horticulture conference in Adelaide in September.

A proud Trustee of Gardening4Health started by Dr Richard Claxton, now CEO of the National Garden Scheme, Anna’s hashtag for many years has been #outdoorsisbetter.

This is an on-campus and online event - follow the link to register if you would like to join by Zoom.