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I graduated from my Herbal Medicine Degree in November of 2016. My whole life however, has been focused on Herbs, I just didn’t know it at the time.
From the young age of 10 I remember taking the family video camera into my garden and pretending that I was on an epic journey hiking through mountains (my wooden fence) and rock cliffs (a 1 metre boulder) exploring and seeking footage of the nature that grew around me.
I continued to have a fascination with nature; My childhood best friend and I were convinced that we were the human form of Mother nature, and it physically pained us when somebody hurt our tree house at school. As a child you have the potential to feel nature so much more than adults. Often as we grow up we disconnect from what nature has to provide and teach us.
I too disconnected from nature, sometimes self-chosen, sometimes not, and it is only now that I realise that there was always a niggling desire to keep nature with me through all moments of my life. Whether it be the 12-year-old who would explore an estate and come back with myriads of flower cuttings (because fairies needed homes you know!), to the 15-year-old teenager lighting a candle to do a ceremony in the middle of her family garden.
Herbs however became prominent for me in 2001 when I completed work experience for high school, and found a magical place called ‘The Herbarium’ in Gembrook, Victoria. I spent a whole week with an amazing knowledgeable woman who taught me how to maintain a herb farm, as well as harvesting and manufacture crops into tea blends. I still remember my cotton watch band wreaking of rosemary for a good year after. This ladies name was Marion Da Costa, and she gave me the greatest gift of all, freedom to explore herbs, and take cuttings from her plants that I could then use to create my own healing garden. Marion also gave me the opportunity to apprentice with a naturopath and the then owner of ‘Browns Animal Herbals’ Tracey Brown. I learnt so much from these experiences, which are now ingrained memories. I remember feeling so energised from meeting these women, something I am forever grateful for.
Marion’s farm was some kind of magical; herbs in intricate lines for acres and acres, aromatic bliss enveloping you as you brushed past a bush, the sun sneaking through the pines, hitting and warming certain parts of you. There were herbs there that, at the time I thought were made up… Marshmallow root, horsetail, gingko biloba; what kind of names were these!
I wouldn’t understand or know the potential of these herbs until I took my leap of faith in 2013 and applied to Study Western Herbal Medicine in Melbourne. This leap was in large part taken due my beloved dog of almost 17 years passing away. She was the first being that knew all of me, who really understood my soul, she was my little muse and for the large part of her life my little guinea pig in many things herbal.
It took my three and a half years to graduate from my degree, and seeing firsthand the potential of that funnily named herb called Marshmallow root. Since then I continue to gain knowledge by studying with herbal greats, reading many a book, take webinars, workshops and seminars and most importantly working with herbs on a daily basis.
My working with herbs comes in a myriad of ways, from running a herbal medicine practice, aswell as hosting workshops and events at my Communal medicinal plot, Hills Herbal Collective.
Brodie Botanical 