Cultivating Recovery: 42 Years of Horticultural Therapy at Craig Hospital

Craig Hospital’s horticultural therapy program has evolved over 42 years into a multifaceted initiative that blends vocational training, wellness, and therapeutic interventions with a strong emphasis on community engagement and adaptive accessibility. This session will explore the unique elements that make Craig’s program a leader in the field, including its innovative use of adaptive tools, thoughtfully designed therapeutic gardens, and strategic community partnerships. Attendees will gain insight into how these components work together to create meaningful, evidence-based therapeutic experiences that support patients in rehabilitation. Additionally, the session will highlight original research and leadership efforts that continue to shape the future of horticultural therapy.

Speaker: Mattie Cryer, LCSW, CBIS

Mattie Cryer, LCSW, CBIS (she/her) is the bilingual horticultural therapist for Craig Hospital. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in Spanish from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Cryer taught English language and culture at a university in Argentina as a Fulbright Scholar. Upon returning, Cryer completed a Master’s Degree in Social Work with an emphasis on immigration reform and environmental justice. Graduation from this program fell in June of 2020 and amidst a global pandemic and lockdown, plants and gardening brought solace. 

After discovering how healing plants can be on a personal level, Cryer completed the Horticultural Therapy Certificate with the Horticultural Therapy Institute based in Denver, Colorado. While working on this certificate, Cryer started a free community-centered horticultural therapy stand at a local farmer’s market. Cryer has worked at Craig Hospital for one and a half years, finding joy in sharing the accessibility of gardening with patients and sharing the joy of responsible environmental stewardship and permaculture. With a background in social work and horticultural therapy on a community level, Cryer brings a diverse perspective to Craig’s program.

Conflict to Cultivation: Emilee’s Journey Advancing Therapeutic Horticulture in War-Torn Regions

Since 2022, Emilee Weaver, and her colleagues at the non-profit Partnerships for Nature have supported Ukraine’s efforts to develop the use of plant- and nature-based programming as healing interventions for those affected by the ongoing war with Russia. Through free virtual ‘train the trainers’ therapeutic horticulture (TH) trainings, scholarships for online TH certificates (in partnership with NC State Extension Gardener program), and consultations with botanical gardens in Ukraine and Armenia, Emilee has fostered transformative collaborations. 

In October 2024, she embarked on a 14-day trip to Armenia and the Poland/Ukraine border to meet, celebrate, and continue supporting the future leaders of TH in these countries. Join us for a virtual tour of this journey, showcasing the first sensory healing garden in Poland, two therapeutic gardens in Armenia, and how Ukraine’s botanical gardens have remained a source of resilience, cultural pride, and hope amid profound adversity.

Speaker: Emilee Weaver

Emilee Weaver, a professional horticulturist for over 25 years and horticultural therapist for more than 15, has extensive experience developing and managing therapeutic horticulture programs across diverse populations and settings. She has a background in social work, extensive horticulture experience, and a horticultural therapy certificate from the Horticultural Therapy Institute of Denver. Using this expertise, she has developed impactful programs, including a vocational HT initiative for adolescent girls in a high-security facility, a veteran reintegration program at Denver Botanic Gardens, and an HT program at a 400-bed psychiatric hospital.

Currently the Therapeutic Horticulture Program Manager at the North Carolina Botanical Garden, Emilee oversees local and international TH training, manages hybrid and online certificate programs, and co-authored the 2019 HT textbook, The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy. She is passionate about fostering a vibrant TH/HT community in the U.S. and beyond.

New Sortable Research Database Reveal

Root in Nature is proud to introduce an innovative and fully sortable research database, featuring hundreds of research articles categorized and tagged for ease of use. Designed to empower practitioners with the latest evidence-based insights, this database is a comprehensive tool for exploring the therapeutic, social, and vocational impacts of horticultural therapy. Articles are sorted by Program Type (e.g., therapeutic, social, vocational) and tagged by Population Groups (e.g., older adults, individuals with mental health challenges, veterans), Settings (e.g., community gardens, hospitals, schools), and Health and Wellness Benefits (e.g., stress reduction, cognitive improvement, social engagement).

Users can also explore intersections with allied professions like occupational therapy, and social work, as well as outcomes such as improved mobility, greater sense of purpose, and faster recovery times. Whether you’re seeking peer-reviewed studies, case reports, or practical evaluation metrics, this database is a treasure trove of resources tailored to elevate your therapeutic horticulture practice.

Don’t miss the exclusive walkthrough of this game-changing tool, designed to inspire and equip practitioners worldwide.

Fireside Chat with Dr. Diane Relf: Reflections on the Early HT Pioneers

Speaker: Dr. Paula Diane Relf

Paula Diane Relf received her PhD in Horticulture from the University of Maryland in 1976 where she pioneered studies in Horticultural Therapy. She was a Professor and Extension Specialist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University from 1976 to 2003 and Professor Emeritus to the present. In 1973 she was instrumental in the founding of what is now the American Horticultural Therapy Association. and served as president from 1975 to 1979. From 1989 to 2003, she chaired what is now the International People-Plant Council. She was elected as a Fellow of the American Society of Horticultural Sciences in August 2002 and one of the top 100 ASHS members of the late 20th century for contributions to growth and change in horticulture in 2001. She received the American Horticultural Society’s National Horticultural Therapy Award, 2000; the National Council for Therapy and Rehabilitation through Horticulture (now AHTA) presented her their Award for Professional Service (1984) and the Award for Outstanding Service to Horticultural Therapy (1979).

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage, learn, and celebrate the global potential of TH & HT. Reserve your spot today!

Katie (she/her) is a Registered Horticultural Therapist (HTR) in British Columbia, Canada. A strong advocate of asset-based community development and reflective practice, Katie has been supporting therapeutic horticulture projects and programs for a wide variety of populations since 2014.

Katie (she/her) is a Registered Horticultural Therapist (HTR) in British Columbia, Canada. A strong advocate of asset-based community development and reflective practice, Katie has been supporting therapeutic horticulture projects and programs for a wide variety of populations since 2014.

Rebecca is a member of Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton. Her small garden is certified as wildlife habitat. She has received several awards from the Ontario horticulture community. Not a scientist herself, Rebecca is passionate about gardening science. She shares what she learns via her blog Gardening at Last. Her publications on ResearchGate have over 10,000 reads. Rebecca’s gardening addiction is enabled by her loving husband Richard and a collection of spoiled rescue cats.