It has been a long-held dream of mine to bring Tom Stuart-Smith and Dr Sue Stuart-Smith to Australia so that the Australian Landscape Conference community can meet and hear these megastars in person. I am thrilled to announce that both Tom and Sue will present talks at a special Land Escapism event at the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney on 24 February, 2024. Also appearing in the half day program will be renown Horticultural Therapist and Rehabilitation Nurse, Steven Wells and Georgina Reid of Wonderground. More details on the program to follow including Sue’s presentation in Canberra at the National Film and Sound Archive on 29 February, 2024.
As many of you will know, Tom Stuart-Smith is an internationally acclaimed landscape architect and was recently awarded an OBE for his services to landscape architecture. He has designed eight award winning gardens for the Chelsea Flower Show, all of which were presented with gold medals and three ‘Best in Show’. His work combines clever spatial awareness, his love of naturalistic, romantic planting and a ‘penchant for dramatic contrast’. He has designed gardens, parks and landscapes throughout the world, for clients including the Royal Horticultural Society, the Royal Academy of Arts and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Current projects include a garden square at King’s Cross for Argent LLP and the Aga Khan Foundation, several projects at Chatsworth and a garden for the Scottish baronial estate of Aldourie Castle. Tom is also working on a new public garden at the Hepworth Wakefield, and the masterplan for RHS Garden Bridgewater which is the largest new garden project in the UK.
Dr Sue Stuart-Smith is a trailblazer of her era. She is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist, and author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling book The Well Gardened Mind. Now available in 18 languages. The book analyses the relationship between gardening and mental health. As Stephen Fry wrote: The wisest book I’ve read for many years … Much more than a gardening book, much more than a guide to mental health … Hugely recommended.
Sue studied English Literature at the University of Cambridge before qualifying as a doctor and working in the National Health Service for many years, becoming the lead clinician for psychotherapy in Hertfordshire. She currently teaches at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in London and is a consultant at DocHealth, a not for profit, psychotherapeutic consultation service for doctors.
Over the last 30 years, Tom and Sue have created the wonderful and much admired ‘Barn Garden’ in Hertfordshire.
Steven Wells has successfully combined careers in nursing and horticulture to work as the Gardens and Grounds Coordinator, a Horticultural Therapist and a Rehabilitation Nurse at Austin Health in Melbourne. He is an advocate for therapeutic horticulture and is responsible for driving the creation of beautiful gardens within healthcare settings across Austin Health facilities for the benefit of patients, staff and hospital visitors. Steven also provides staff wellbeing horticulture-based sessions. He has been a guest presenter on ABC Gardening Australia and is also a Churchill Memorial Trust Fellow which enabled him to research the development, use and management of therapeutic gardens in healthcare settings.
Georgina Reid is a writer, gardener and founding editor of Wonderground print journal and online magazine. Her work has been published in magazines and books internationally. Georgina is passionate about telling meaningful stories that connect people, plants and places. She is now undertaking a Doctorate.
I look forward to welcoming you to this very special event.
Kind regards,
Fleur Flanery
