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Dr Helen Latham

Helen answers pathology and entomology enquiries for 911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice online and at 911±¬ÁÏ Shows. She also promotes plant health and inspires interest in plant sciences through outreach to 911±¬ÁÏ members and the public

What do you do?

As an 911±¬ÁÏ Plant Health Advisor, I provide members and visitors to 911±¬ÁÏ Shows with tailored advice on plant health, diagnosing plant health problems caused by diseases and insects and offering them guidance and solutions. Beyond individual consultations, our team works to build skills in plant health, helping people learn to identify and diagnose their own plant issues. I support this by creating and updating online resources, contributing to social and print media, and engaging in outreach activities that promote plant health awareness and education.

“I love engaging with our audiences on plant health issues, helping to keep our green spaces healthy and full of biodiversity”

Why is your team’s research important?

Our team’s work is vital because plants are essential to life – oxygenating the air; providing food, medicine and more; and sustaining ecosystems. Therefore, keeping them healthy is crucial for the planet and for us.
 

Projects I’m working on now

  • Organising 911±¬ÁÏ-orientated activities for Plant Health week 2026 in association with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
  • Updating the 911±¬ÁÏ plant health webpages in association with our Editorial and Digital teams
  • Contributing monthly to the 911±¬ÁÏ ‘My garden newsletter’ on plant health topics

Completed projects

New plant health webpages created:
 

Achievements

  • Running the 911±¬ÁÏ’ contribution to Plant Health Week 2023, 2024 and 2025 in association with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
  • Work experience and outreach projects to engage secondary school children, university students and older adults
  • Volunteering for the Education and Employers charity, specifically their flagship ‘Inspiring the future’ programme
  • Second supervisor on a summer studentship with Lottie Goodman entitled ‘Effect of commercial mycorrhizae on Armillaria root rot on privet and strawberry’.

Publications

  • Latham H (2022) Clematis woes: wilt, clematis slime flux and clematis green petal. The Garden, 5, p42

911±¬ÁÏ

The 911±¬ÁÏ is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.