Fieldworkers

Michelle Woodall

Having been a psychotherapist for ten years and prior to that working in community development setting up and supporting community gardens, my passion for therapeutic activities in nature led me to pursue training in horticulture and currently, I am studying garden design.
I hope to work with projects who might want to talk through how to engage the local community or need support when engagement becomes challenging; and if happy to work with a newbie garden designer then I’d hope to

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Ruth Mackie

My interest in therapeutic horticulture began when I first started gardening, and my own sense of wellbeing was transformed. This prompted a career change into horticulture some years ago and a particular interest in the benefits of therapeutic gardening and green spaces ever since.

I am delighted to join the fieldworkers at Trellis where I have been spending time recently getting to know the thoughtful work Trellis is doing with the Scottish Prison Service. Other interests of mine

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M.T. O’Donnell

I am Editor of Scotland Grows magazine, and Host of the Scotland Grows Show, both dedicated platforms to celebrating gardening in Scotland.

 I am also a freelance gardening writer, having written for Scotland on Sunday, The Herald on Sunday, The Evening Times, BBC Countryfile, and Kitchen Gardener amongst other national and local publications. 

 I am a member of the Gardening Media Guild, sit on the Council of The Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, and have worked with the

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Fiona Brown

In 2020 I made the move to become a therapeutic horticulturist, as I wanted to share my love of nature to support others with their mental health and well-being. I currently work for the Eric Liddell Community in Edinburgh delivering social and therapeutic horticulture to people living with dementia, and an open community group. I co-organise and lead weekly wellbeing walks with a focus on nature and wellbeing. I am also creating the Eric Liddell Peace Garden, which forms part of the Eric

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Jenny Foulkes

I was introduced to the inspirational world of therapeutic horticulture and community gardening in 1998, while I was studying for a degree in Landscape Management at the University of Reading. After graduating I worked in a variety of jobs in both community education and horticulture. I gained experience as a gardener and in plant nurseries in both the UK and Australia before finding project management roles in community education. Eventually in 2011 I found my perfect employment combining

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Christina Hughes Nind

I started a career change nine years ago and retrained as a gardener and horticultural therapist, completing the Diploma in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture.

I currently lead one allotment project for people in Twyford https://www.twyfordparishcouncil.gov.uk/twyford-growers/ and another for autistic adults with AutAngel https://www.autangel.org.uk

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Caroline Kerr-Smith

In the 1990s I studied horticulture and garden design at Norwood Hall and Capel Manor colleges in London. I went on to work as a garden designer and gardener in private practice, and also as a lecturer in further and higher education where as a manager I developed programmes in all elements and levels of horticulture. I taught a wide range of learners from career changers, amateur gardeners and students with learning disabilities. I loved passing on my knowledge of horticulture and design,

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Karin Chipulina

I have always liked being outdoors. As a child of a Swedish mother, we spent many summers near lakes and woods. While working as an Art therapist I started developing the grounds in my children's school. From there I worked in various community gardens and now work as an outdoor community development worker in Edinburgh. I worked for Grounds for Learning,studied herbalism with grass roots remedies for two years and got back to art work using natural materials during Covid. 

Through my

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Joanne Evans

I qualified as a garden designer in 2009 with an HNC Garden Design with distinction from Scottish Agricultural College in Aberdeen after changing career from working for the BBC for nearly 20 years. To complement this I also studied at Aberdeen College for the RHS 2 Certificate in Horticulture which I gained in 2007. I write a gardening column for Scotland Grows. I also run Gardening4Kids - a gardening school for children - in Aberdeen City and Shire. As a qualified Forest School Leader ( more

Diana Robertson

I’ve been Head Gardener with the National Trust for Scotland in Aberdeenshire, looking after Drum Castle and Craigievar Castle gardens as for twenty-seven years. Prior to this I had my own landscape design and construction business. I have also worked with a plant nursery, the agricultural college in Aberdeen as a lecturer and NOSCA (North of Scotland College of Agriculture) as a scientific officer. My main areas of horticultural expertise are Walled gardens; Roses; Cutting

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Toni Clark

The thrill of shared gardening started over 15 years ago for me when encouraging and enabling Highland schools and communities to grow more fruit, vegetables and flowers. Time in a variety of outdoor focussed roles has allowed me to pass on my enthusiasm of getting my hands in the soil (i.e. dirty) with people of all ages and abilities. For nearly 10 years I was incredibly fortunate to be able to practice what I was “preaching” by living and loving my 11 acre croft, 15 miles west of Inverness. more

Inglis Thorburn

I am a design graduate of Edinburgh College of Art and in addition I hold the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture (Commendation) and a Diploma in Garden Design from the Inchbald School of Design.

I am a qualified and experienced college lecturer, having taught horticulture for several years at Dundee & Angus College alongside running my own garden design practice.

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