This year’s Tipi Talks programme has been complied by the Eden Project and brings together horticulturists, educators and community growers to explore gardening, wellbeing and the future of horticulture. Headline speakers include Tayshan Hayden-Smith, a community leader and environmental activist from North Kensington. After the Grenfell Tower tragedy, he founded Grow to Know, using gardening as a tool for collective healing and campaigning for equitable access to green space through the Closing the Green Gap initiative. Now a leading voice on socio-environmental justice, he collaborates with global brands, appears regularly across national media, and advises on sustainability as a Commissioner on the London Climate and Sustainability Commission.

Tayshan Hayden-Smith will open the Tipi Talks on Saturday in a discussion around Wellbeing and Plants, hosted by Phil Young of the Eden Project, alongside speakers including James Clark (Eden Project), Rich Hardy (CHAOS Group), and Gemma Haigh (Plant Parlour).

The afternoon fireside chat, Future Horticulture, brings together Peter Jones, Director of Horticulture at Eden, Matthew Pottage of The Royal Parks and BBC Gardeners’ Question Time, Emma Gunn of Never Mind the Burdocks and horticulturist Duana Pearson.

On Sunday, hosted by Alasdair Moore of Tresco Abbey Gardens, talks begin with Learning from Nature, featuring Eden horticulturists Katie McBride and Sam Kendall alongside Jacob Willbourne of the CHAOS Group and Chris Bisson of Cornwall College.

The programme concludes with Nature-Kind Gardening, with speakers including Phillip Young of the Eden Project, Juliet Rose of Nature Connections, Sarah Woollett from Eden’s garden team and Sam Finch of Alit-y-Bela.

Saturday 28th March

Wellbeing & Plants – Hosted by Phil Young, Eden Project – 11-12.30pm Tayshan Hayden-Smith, Grow to Know James Clark – Eden Project, Therapy garden Rich Hardy Head Grower, Chaos Group Gemma Haigh, Plant Parlour Future Horticulture – 1.30pm-3pm Peter Jones, Eden Project Director of Horticulture Matthew Potage, Royal Parks / Gardeners Question time Emma Gunn, Never Mind the Burdocks Duana Pearson, Herself Thomas Hoblyn

Sunday 29th March

Learning from Nature – Hosted by Alasdair Moore, Tresco Abbey Gardens – 10.30am – 12pm Katie McBride, Eden Project Sam Kendall, Eden Project Jacob Willbourne, Chaos Group Chris Bisson, Cornwall College Nature-Kind Gardening – 12.30pm-2pm Phillip Young, Eden Project Outer Estates Juliet Rose, Nature connections /National Wildflower centre Sarah Woollett, Eden Project – Garden Team Sam Finch, Alit-Y -Bela

You can find out more about all of our speakers here