What a privilege to have been invited to speak at tomstuartsmith Working With Drought Symposium, at the Apple House in sergehillproject. The level of the speakers and the conversations that ensued were beyond anything I might have imagined. Thank you suestuartsmith for letting me into your wonderful world and the charities your and Tom’s work supports. Thank you rebeccafincham_ for the impeccable organisation, millie_souter for a hilarious look at the immense project the plant library is, henrik.sjoman.botaniska for opening my eyes in seeing trees as an indispensable element in public space, jameshitchmough for a mind blowing masterclass in gradients of plant responses to drought, jamesscapedesign for you eye for beauty, giacomo_guzzon for showing us your PHD work, panglobalplants for your wonderful appreciation of Mexican plants, Julia Boulton and Chris Gibson at bethchattogardens for your insight into Beth’s work, Harry Watkins, Brenda Parker, j.bruce.garden and mattiskope for explai...