From climate change to mental health and wellbeing, could the answer to some of the major issues facing people and the planet be addressed through horticulture?
Join Nigel Dunnett, internationally renowned plantsman, landscape designer and Professor of Planting Design and Urban Horticulture in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield and scientists from the University of Bristol’s Life Sciences faculty and Botanic Garden to discuss the role of horticulture in growing solutions to local and global problems.
Nigel is one of the world’s leading voices on innovative approaches to planting design and is a pioneer of the new ecological approach to planting gardens and public spaces. His work revolves around the integration of ecology and horticulture to achieve low-input, high-impact landscapes that are dynamic, diverse and tuned to nature.
Nigel’s projects include: The Queen Elizabeth London Olympic Park (principal planting design and horticultural consultant, together with James Hitchmough); The Barbican Centre, London (new planting schemes for podium landscapes); Sheffield Grey to Green (Planting design for the UK’s largest retrofit inner-city greenway and water-sensitive scheme). Nigel is a gold medal-winner at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. In November 2018 Nigel won the Landscape Institute Award 2018 for Planting Design, Public Horticulture and Strategic Ecology, and the Landscape Institute Fellows Prize for Most Outstanding Project, both for The Barbican, London.
Panel Members:
Professor Jane Memmott OBE Hon.FRES Professor of Ecology, School of Biological Sciences
Professor Jane Memmott OBE Hon.FRES is an ecologist and entomologist and professor of ecology at the University of Bristol. Her research focuses on community ecology and she is an expert on the interactions between insect pollinators and plants. Jane was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to insect pollinators and ecology.
Dr Heather Whitney Reader in Plant Interactions, School of Biological Sciences
Heathers research looks at how the structure of the plant surface can influence both biotic and abiotic interactions. I use a range of techniques to investigate these interactions including plant molecular biology, optical analysis, biomimetics and animal behavioural assays.
Dr Daniela Dietrich Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences
Daniela is a plant molecular biologist and lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences. Her work is aimed at understanding how environmental factors such as water, gravity and nutrients influence root growth, and how this knowledge can be used to grow crops more sustainably.
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