There are so many paths to learn about herbalism from mentorships, to getting down in the dirt and growing the herbs from seed to bottle. Real life practical experience is of upmost importance to becoming an herbalist and a subject I have discussed in previous posts, I also wanted to share the books that have accompanied my journey as a gardener and herbalist.
I love to read, and am fortunate to have collected dozens of books about natural health over the years. Some I have gifted or lent to friends indefinitely, and others are so fundamental to my work that I crack them open on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis as I learn and evolve as a practitioner of herbal medicine and gardener of the herbs I use and sell.
Medicinal Herbs (A Beginner's Guide) by Rosemary Gladstar -- If I were to recommend just one book to anyone interested in herbalism this would be the book. Rosemary Gladstar is a big name in Western herbalism and has many publications, this is by far the most accessible and engaging. The book is full of simple tutorials on how to make all kinds of medicinal preparations like tinctures, teas, and salves. There is also a spread on 33 herbs and spices, how to grow them, and how to incorporate them into an herbalism practice.
Full of color photos, the book contains much more than anyone could learn in a single class. I bought this for my mom when she was first starting out on the plant path, and we have both used it to base our recipes off of and plan our herbal as well as decorative garden.
Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra -- This is a reference book that is very handy to have for formulating but not helpful for plant identification. In fact, this book has no photos at all but does have hundreds of herbs and many suggestions for traditional herbal formulas inspired by Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as Eclectic and European herbal traditions.
This book is more of an intermediate resources but, I wanted to include it here as it is quite rare to find a book with so much scope. Michael Tierra is very knowledgeable as a Western and Eclectic herbalist, but also has so much experience with TCM and Ayurveda. Not many authors are able to incorporate all these systems into a single resource and thus, this book is a treasure in our library.
Gardening with Herbs by John Stevens -- In my opinion any herbalist should familiar with growing most of the herbs they prescribe. For this reason I have included Gardening with Herbs, which is more of a guide for gardeners though it has plenty of herbal profiles in the second half of the book.
I really appreciate the advice on creating beautiful as well as functional gardens in all kinds of landscapes. From tiny cement patios to shady ponds, to arid climates, this book has recommended , and inspiring illustrations for each situation.
Be you an experienced medicine man or woman, or just starting out in the magical world of healing with herbs, I hope that these recommendations are helpful to you. All of these books were found either on the website Thrift Books, or at 2nd hand shops.
Even if you do not chose to buy or rent these exact books, I hope to give you an idea of what kinds of books are helpful as resources. If possible I suggest acquiring physical copies of a book that is helpful for identifying plants, one that has information on how to create herbal preparations, and one that has practical advice on how to grow your own medical garden.
Happy Herbalism!