Inspired by the histories and stories of our Iconic Plants on site, our series of free lunchtime talks every weekday will explore ideas across nature, history, society and design. Bring a packed lunch and join our speakers in conversation at the Mother Tree stage.

We're so excited that organic food grower and writer Claire Ratinon and artist and educator Sam Ayre have also curated a series of talks throughout our programme, drawing on topics from their booklet - Horticultural Appropriation which explore the possibility and necessity of bringing a decolonial lens to the practice of horticulture. Claire and Sam will be in conversation on Friday 2nd September, exploring the themes of their booklet as well as environmental responsibility in the creative world and what the art world can learn from the natural world. 

Iconic Lunchtime Talks highlights include:

• Environmental responsibility in the creative world: Claire Ratinon and Sam Ayre
• Decolonising the garden - how imperialism shaped the British garden: Sui Searle and Dr Ros Gray
• Pandemics - drawing closer to nature: JC Niala and Dr Alex Mayhew
• Iconic Plants: the Stories of our Garden: Jon Drori and Advolly Richmond
• Thriving in a civic society: Jon Alexander and Imandeep Kaur
• What if Finance is Nature Positive?: RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)
• Connecting to the earth- art and social practice: Owen Griffiths and Davinia-Ann Robinson
• The Well-Gardened Mind: Sue Stuart Smith, in conversation with Chris Marchant
• Growing and Healing in the Outdoors: Jo Capper from Birmingham’s Grand Union and Marlon Patrice, Founder of We Go Outside Too
• Language and colonialism- History and Oppression: Kevin Buckle in conversation with Ahmed Mudawi
• Growing food in mattresses- the future of food sustainability: Professor Duncan Cameron in conversation
• The Pansy Project- Resistance in Nature and Design: Paul Harfleet, in conversation with Carl Robertshaw