Hi, I’m Juliet—botanist, herbalist, and lifelong student of the green world. I’ve been working with medicinal plants for over three decades, and I still get a tingly thrill whenever I come across a long-lost friend (a familiar herb growing wild).

In 2007, I founded the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine as a fully outdoor, immersive program nestled in the southern Appalachians. After many years of teaching under the open sky, I leapt into the virtual world—where I now focus on bringing high-quality herbal education to thousands of students around the globe.

My training includes a degree in botany and graduation from three herbal schools, augmented by on-the-ground education: years of growing, foraging, and making medicine—plus running a few herbal businesses along the way (involving an apothecary line, an herbal nursery, and a clinical practice, to name a few). I even launched a get-rich-quick scheme involving papaya growing, which was a total flop—but a valuable learning experience. 

To learn more about my journey as an herbalist, read Juliet Blankespoor’s Dance with the Plants.

These days, I pour all of that experience into teaching. My mission in life is to help people foster a kinship with plants and the earth, cultivating a sense of belonging and hope. I’m proud to see my lineage continue in the herbal businesses of my graduates. See what my students have to say about my teaching and the school.

My best-selling book, The Healing Garden: Cultivating and Handcrafting Herbal Remedies, is a detailed herbal reference, a decadent cookbook, and a garden manual all rolled into one. The book also comes with a set of free bonuses available through the Healing Garden Gateway.

When I’m not gardening or writing, you’ll likely find me near water—soaking in hot springs, steaming in a sauna, or hiking to a mountain stream swimming hole.  My sidekick is a matching dog (we both sport unkempt white hair). I also have a hilarious, courageous daughter, and an audacious abundance of houseplants and botanical books.

At Chestnut, we offer some of the most in-depth online programs in bioregional herbalism with plenty of beauty and humor along the way. Our gorgeous and informative blog is filled with free articles, recipes, tutorials, charts, videos, and herbal resources. If you’re feeling the pull toward the plants, you’re in the right place.

Pussytoes,

Juliet