We’re excited to share that Emilee Weaver has joined Root in Nature as our new Director of Learning & Community Engagement.
For over 25 years, Emilee has been cultivating more than plants – she’s been growing programs, relationships, and meaningful change. With a rare blend of professional horticulture expertise, social work and horticultural therapy education, and deep passion for accompanying people on their healing and learning journeys, Emilee has spent her career building horticultural therapy (HT) and therapeutic horticulture (TH) programs that span diverse clinical and community settings.
From adolescents in high security treatment facilities to Veterans returning from war and individuals navigating acute psychiatric care, her work has touched countless lives. She brings a depth of experience that’s hard to overstate, and a spirit of innovation that inspires.
During her time as Therapeutic Horticulture Program Manager at the North Carolina Botanical Garden, Emilee led local and international trainings-pioneering a deep partnership with Ukrainian botanical gardens seeking TH training and consultation, steered the garden’s hybrid and online TH certificate programs, oversaw the community-based direct service programs, and mentored the next generation of TH professionals. She also co-authored The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy (2019), a key textbook in our field.
But beyond her credentials and contributions, what excites us most is how aligned Emilee is with our mission: to grow a thriving, connected, and empowered therapeutic horticulture community—one that centers evidence-based practice, inclusion, and real-world application.
Why We're So Excited
Emilee’s work is a masterclass in what’s possible when therapeutic horticulture is taken seriously as a profession, a therapeutic modality and a movement. Whether developing a vocational HT program for adolescent girls in a high-security facility, spearheading a therapeutic reintegration program for Veterans at Denver Botanic Gardens, or contributing therapeutic garden design consultations for a hospital that specializes in spinal cord/traumatic brain injuries, she has consistently shown how nature-centered programs can restore dignity, purpose and restoration.
And now, she’s here – bringing that wealth of experience into the GrowTH Network and Root in Nature learning ecosystem. We can’t wait for our members to learn from her, collaborate with her, and feel the ripple effect of her passion and leadership.
What This Means for Our Community
One of the incredible gifts Emilee has already brought to Root in Nature is a significantly upgraded Resource Library that will launch in the GrowTH Network on June 16. With her thoughtful curation and deep knowledge of the field, members now have access to an expanded collection of adaptable templates, clinical tools, intake and assessment forms, and research-informed guides that reflect real-world needs. It’s a practical, time-saving goldmine for practitioners who want to spend less time Googling and more time growing meaningful programs.
Emilee is also lending her expertise to enhance our Intro to Therapeutic Horticulture course, which will be relaunched soon with refreshed content, updated best practices, and real-life applications. We can’t wait to share it with you.
At Root in Nature, we believe that our collective knowledge is our greatest asset. Emilee’s presence enriches this ecosystem with:
- Advanced practice insights grounded in years of shoulder to shoulder field experience
- Cross-disciplinary wisdom that blends social work and horticulture through a clinical and community-minded lens
- Leadership in program development – from a State managed psychiatric hospital to national and international botanical gardens
- A deep commitment to training and mentorship across diverse populations
Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been practicing for decades, there’s something to learn from Emilee. And we’re honoured that she’s chosen to grow with us.
A Shared Vision
Emilee’s passion for building a vibrant, well-supported TH/HT community mirrors our own. Together, we’re working toward a future where therapeutic horticulture is integrated into healthcare, education, and community development—accessible to all and rooted in purpose.
“Welcoming Emilee to Root in Nature is both a professional milestone and a personal joy. She’s not only a deeply respected leader in therapeutic horticulture, but also a dear friend and now a business partner. Her heart, wisdom and generosity shine through everything she does. The work she’s already done to enrich our GrowTH Network and enhance our courses is just the beginning – I’m so excited for what we’ll grow together.”
— Alexis Ashworth, Founder & CEO, Root in Nature
Please join us in giving Emilee a warm welcome. We can’t wait to see the impact her presence will have on this growing community.
Latest from the blog
Welcoming Emilee Weaver to Root in Nature: A True Trailblazer in Therapeutic Horticulture
We are beyond thrilled to welcome Emilee Weaver to the Root in Nature community.
For over 25 years, Emilee has been cultivating not only plants, but possibility. With a rare blend of professional horticulture expertise, social work and horticultural therapy education, and deep passion for accompanying people on their healing and learning journeys, Emilee has spent her career building horticultural therapy (HT) and therapeutic horticulture (TH) programs that span diverse clinical and community settings.
Thank You, Katie: Celebrating Her Contributions to Root in Nature
Change is a natural part of growth, and as we continue to evolve at Root in Nature, we want to take a moment to recognize the incredible contributions of our Courses & Community Lead, Katie McGillivray, HTR. As of May 30th, Katie will be stepping away from her role with the GrowTH Network. While we’ll miss her in this capacity, we’re thrilled that she’ll continue teaching the Advancing Skills in Therapeutic Horticulture course. Her continued presence as an educator ensures her knowledge and passion will keep supporting practitioners on their learning journey.
Four Ways to Strengthen Your Therapeutic Horticulture Practice in a Shifting Care Landscape
We hear from recreational therapists, horticultural therapists, and other allied health professionals all the time who are being asked to do more with less. Less time. Less money. Less support. And still—you show up. You adapt. You make it meaningful.
We wrote this blog to validate how hard you’re working and to offer some real, practical ways to strengthen your therapeutic horticulture practice in these uncertain times.