The Spirit & Essence
of Herbalism

A 10-month online apprenticeship with

Rosemary Gladstar & Jane Bothwell

Walking This Herbal Path Together

For decades, Rosemary and Jane have walked this path together—learning from the plants, teaching side by side, and supporting one another through life and practice. In this apprenticeship, they invite you into that shared circle: a space of mentorship, care, and hands-on herbal learning rooted in lived experience.

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Join the Apprenticeship

A Warm Welcome from Rosemary and Jane

We are so glad you’re here.

For many years, apprenticeship has been one of the most meaningful ways we have shared herbalism—learning side by side, making medicine together, and letting our relationship with the plants deepen through time and practice. This online apprenticeship was created in that same spirit: to offer a place where herbal learning feels lived, supported, and shared.

Over these ten months, we’ll gather regularly to explore herbalism as a relationship—with the plants, with one another, and with the rhythms of daily life. We’ll practice together, reflect together, and grow alongside a circle of fellow herbalists who are walking this path with curiosity, care, and commitment.

If you feel drawn to learn in a way that is steady, welcoming, and rooted in connection, we would be honored to walk this journey with you.

~ Rosemary Gladstar and Jane Bothwell

Who This Apprenticeship Is For

You may feel at home here if…

Herbalism feels like a living practice to you,
meant to be experienced, not just studied.

You’re longing for steady guidance
and a sense of connection as you learn.

Perhaps you’re drawn to herbalism as
something woven into daily life—
grounded, human, and joyful.

You’re a home or community herbalist
seeking more confidence and clarity.

You feel called to walk a year-long path
of practice, reflection, and growth.

No prior experience is required.
You don’t need a garden or special setup —
just curiosity and care.

And if you’ve studied with Rosemary or Jane before,
this may feel like a beautiful next step.

What Makes This Online Apprenticeship Unique

Mentorship with Rosemary & Jane​

What Rosemary and Jane offer is more than teaching. It is the living expression of a fifty-year friendship rooted in plants, purpose, and shared paths. They met at the California School of Herbal Studies and have grown alongside one another ever since, supporting each other through all the seasons of life.

To study with them is to learn from two women whose connection is as much a teacher as the material itself—a rare, heart-centered experience not often found today.

A Continuation of Rosemary’s Apprenticeship Tradition​

This program carries forward the heart of Rosemary’s beloved in-person apprenticeships—learning through relationship, practice, and shared time—reimagined for today. Graduates receive the traditional Bone Moon Necklace, a quiet symbol of lineage and shared footsteps on the herbal path.

Hands-On Practice Every Month​

Each month includes a thoughtfully guided project that brings herbal learning into daily life through hands-on practice. By working directly with plants and preparations over time, your confidence will grow naturally through experience, repetition, and care.

A Supportive Learning Circle

Students learn together within a warm, encouraging community that values shared reflection and mutual support. Over the course of the year, this learning circle offers connection, accountability, and steady momentum as relationships deepen.

The Full Online Science & Art of Herbalism Course

Apprentices receive complete 3-year membership access to the foundational home-study course, allowing live mentorship to focus on integration, practice, and deepening understanding.

Guest Teachers & Wider Perspectives

Five guest herbalists join selected sessions, offering complementary insights that enrich and expand the core teachings.

An Optional In-Person Gathering

For those who wish, a gathering at the beautiful White Dove Herbal Sanctuary in Montpelier, Vermont offers a chance to meet, practice, and celebrate together—an optional extension of the apprenticeship circle, never a requirement.

What You’ll Experience Over 10 Months

What makes this apprenticeship unique is not only what’s included, but how the year unfolds in practice.

The apprenticeship unfolds through a gentle, consistent monthly cadence that supports learning over time. Each month includes a live class, a hands-on project, and space for reflection, with live Q&A sessions and guest teacher classes woven in on alternating months—creating a rhythm that feels both supportive and sustainable.

Herbalism is learned through practice and relationship, not memorization alone. Each month includes a thoughtfully guided project that invites you to work directly with plants and preparations, bringing what you’re learning into daily life.

Over time, these projects help knowledge settle into the hands and the heart. Confidence grows through repetition, care, and lived experience, allowing herbal practice to feel more natural, embodied, and personal.

Live sessions are supported by replays and accompanying resources, so learning remains accessible even when life is full. You can return to the teachings at your own pace, revisiting classes, conversations, and demonstrations as needed.

This approach allows learning to unfold over time rather than all at once. Whether you’re able to join live every month or need to engage more flexibly, the apprenticeship is designed to support steady progress without pressure.

This apprenticeship is shared with a warm, encouraging circle of fellow herbal learners. Through community spaces and opportunities for reflection, students are invited to learn alongside one another—asking questions, sharing insights, and offering support as the year unfolds.

Participation in the community is flexible and self-directed. Whether you enjoy active conversation or quieter presence, the learning circle is designed to be welcoming, respectful, and supportive of many ways of showing up.

Throughout the year, guest herbalists join select sessions to share their perspectives, experiences, and areas of focus. These classes are thoughtfully chosen to complement the core teachings and add depth to the apprenticeship without overwhelming its rhythm.

Guest teachers bring fresh voices and insights while remaining grounded in the values and spirit of the program. Their presence offers moments of expansion and inspiration, woven naturally into the flow of the year.

Over time, herbalism becomes less about gathering information and more about cultivating relationship. Through steady practice, observation, and reflection, students are invited to listen more deeply to the plants and to their own lived experience with them.

This gradual deepening supports an embodied way of learning that continues beyond the apprenticeship year. It is a relationship built through presence, care, and time—one that grows alongside you as your practice unfolds.

How the Year Unfolds

This apprenticeship is designed as a steady, unfolding journey rather than a rush through material. Learning builds gradually over ten months, allowing time for practice, reflection, and integration as relationships with the plants—and with one another—deepen.

Each month follows a familiar rhythm, offering both structure and flexibility. You’ll gather online for a live teaching session with Rosemary and Jane, engage in a hands-on project that brings the learning into daily life, and alternate between live Q&A sessions and guest teacher classes. Space for reflection and integration is woven throughout, supporting learning that settles in naturally over time.

This thoughtful pacing allows the year to feel grounded and sustainable, honoring both the depth of the work and the realities of everyday life.

The apprenticeship begins on March 10, 2026, with the first live class held that week.

Curriculum Overview

The apprenticeship opens with a joyful, practical exploration of preparing herbs in ways people truly enjoy. Rosemary Gladstar and Jane Bothwell share hands-on demonstrations and favorite techniques for making herbal remedies accessible to children, elders, skeptics, and anyone new to plant medicine—inviting herbalism into everyday life as both nourishment and care.

This month also includes a foundational introduction to wild plant identification and time for live questions and conversation.

Bonus Guest Class
Herbalism by the Moon — Emily Ruff joins the apprenticeship to explore how lunar cycles guide planting, harvesting, and remedy-making, weaving traditional wisdom with modern botanical and astronomical understanding.

This month explores how herbal care adapts across the stages of life and the varied needs of the people—and animals—we care for. Rosemary Gladstar and Jane Bothwell share guidance drawn from decades of practice, offering thoughtful approaches to everyday illnesses, common health challenges, and moments when extra support is needed.

Students are invited to reflect on discernment and readiness: identifying the health needs that arise most often in their own lives and learning how to prepare in ways that feel supportive rather than overwhelming. The month includes additional time for live questions and conversation to help ground the learning in real-world application.

This month offers a grounded introduction to the skills, ethics, and discernment at the heart of wildcrafting. Rosemary Gladstar and Jane Bothwell share decades of lived experience harvesting from the wild, approaching plants not as resources to be taken, but as living allies deserving of respect and care.

Students learn how to get to know the plants growing close at hand, with guidance on ethical harvesting, timing, and sustainability. The month also explores what happens after the harvest, including drying, storing, and sourcing herbs with integrity, along with time for live questions and conversation.

Bonus Guest Class
Seaweed: From Shoreline to Soup Bowl to Medicine Shelf — Guest teacher Allison Poklemba introduces medicinal seaweeds as powerful allies for nourishment, resilience, and care, weaving together ecology, traditional use, and practical applications for kitchen and apothecary.

This month explores two closely connected foundations of herbal practice: adaptogens and nervous system support. Together, these plant allies offer steady, nourishing care for meeting stress, supporting resilience, and tending the body over time.

Rosemary Gladstar and Jane Bothwell share complementary perspectives drawn from decades of experience, introducing herbs that support balance, rest, and long-term vitality. Emphasis is placed on discernment, safe use, and understanding how these plants work gently and cumulatively rather than as quick fixes. The month includes space for practical application, reflection, and live questions.

This month is devoted to the gentle, nuanced practice of flower essences, guided by Jane Bothwell. Students are introduced to both the practical steps and the intentional, intuitive aspects of this form of plant medicine, with attention to presence, discernment, and relationship.

Through demonstration and discussion, the focus is on learning how flower essences are prepared and used over time, and how to listen more closely—to the plants and to one’s own inner signals. The month includes opportunities for reflection, shared learning, and live questions with Jane.

Bonus Guest Class
Mushroom Medicine — Clinical herbalist and researcher Dr. Christopher Hobbs joins the apprenticeship to explore medicinal mushrooms through both traditional use and modern research. This session offers an evidence-informed look at mushroom allies, practical preparation methods, and thoughtful discernment when choosing and working with mushroom products.

This month turns attention to the potent remedies found in everyday culinary herbs, inviting students to rediscover the kitchen as an extension of the apothecary. Rosemary Gladstar and Jane Bothwell explore how food and medicine have long been woven together, drawing on traditional uses, lived experience, and practical creativity.

Through hands-on demonstrations and discussion, students learn how familiar kitchen herbs can be prepared and worked with as gentle, effective remedies, easily incorporated into daily routines. The month also includes guidance on growing culinary herbs in small spaces, reinforcing herbal practice as something accessible, nourishing, and close at hand.

This month invites students into the heart of herbalism: relationship. Guided by Rosemary Gladstar and Jane Bothwell, the focus moves beyond technique into practices that support listening, presence, and respectful connection with plants as living allies.

Through gentle, grounded practices, students explore ways of cultivating plant relationships over time—developing attention, reciprocity, and a felt sense of connection that can become part of daily life. The month includes reflective practice, creative exploration, and space for shared learning and live questions.

Bonus Guest Class
From Plant to Potentized Remedy — Herbalist and homeopath Seraphina Capranos offers a thoughtful introduction to homeopathy as a complementary tradition within plant-based medicine. This session explores historical context, practical understanding, and how homeopathy can sit alongside herbal practice in a home-based approach to care.

As the season turns inward, this month focuses on two closely connected foundations of health: digestion and the immune system. Together, they shape how we take in nourishment, build strength, and support the body through times of stress and seasonal change.

Jane Bothwell and Rosemary Gladstar share complementary perspectives drawn from decades of experience, exploring gentle, food-based, and herbal approaches to supporting digestion, assimilation, and immune resilience. Emphasis is placed on steady, nourishing care and practical everyday habits that support long-term well-being, with time for reflection and live questions.

As winter approaches, this month focuses on preparing the body, home, and apothecary for the colder months ahead. Rosemary Gladstar and Jane Bothwell share time-tested seasonal wisdom for staying well through winter, emphasizing warmth, nourishment, movement, and steady immune and respiratory support.

Students explore how winter care extends beyond remedies alone—incorporating seasonal eating, daily habits, and gentle practices that help maintain resilience through the darker months. Hands-on demonstrations and discussion ground the learning in practical, everyday preparation, with time for live questions and conversation.

Bonus Guest Class
Scent & Serenity — Aromatherapist Jessica Shepherd joins the apprenticeship to explore the gentle, sensory practice of aromatherapy for calm and emotional balance. This session introduces aromatic plant allies as supportive companions for nervous system regulation, weaving together science, intuition, and direct sensory experience.

The final month of the apprenticeship is a gathering of integration, reflection, and celebration. Rather than an ending, this session honors what has been learned and opens space for what is still unfolding—rooted in community, intention, and the living relationship with plants cultivated throughout the year.

Guided by Rosemary Gladstar and Jane Bothwell, students are invited to reflect on their journey, name what has taken root, and consider the many ways herbalism may continue to live in their daily lives. The session includes shared reflection, practical guidance for next steps, and a closing ceremony that marks completion while affirming the paths still ahead.

Meet Your Herbal Mentors

Rosemary Gladstar

Herbalist ~ Teacher ~ Author ~ Steward of Plant Wisdom

For more than five decades, Rosemary Gladstar has shared practical, generous herbal wisdom rooted in everyday life. She is widely regarded as one of the early voices who helped shape the modern herbal movement, and her teaching lineage includes years of intimate, in-person apprenticeship grounded in shared practice, story, and time with the plants — a spirit that continues through her teaching today.

Rosemary is the founder of The Science & Art of Herbalism home study course and the author of many beloved books for herbalists and plant lovers. Her devotion to the plants extends beyond teaching: she is the founding president of United Plant Savers and a co-founder of Traditional Medicinals, reflecting a lifelong commitment to both plant conservation and access to herbal medicine.

At the heart of her work is a simple belief: herbalism is a people’s medicine — meant to be shared, practiced with care, and carried forward in gratitude for the green world that sustains us.

Jane Bothwell

Clinical Herbalist ~ Teacher ~ Founder, The Dandelion Herbal Center

For more than four decades, Jane Bothwell has been devoted to helping people build thoughtful, respectful relationships with plants as food, medicine, and spiritual allies. Her teaching is rooted in lived experience and shaped by a deep belief that herbal learning naturally invites greater care for oneself, one’s family, and the wider living world.

Jane brings over forty years of working with clients, teaching herbal classes, and immersing herself in daily plant practice. She is the founder and longtime director of Dandelion Herbal Center in Northern California, where she cultivated a vibrant learning community grounded in wisdom, stewardship, and hands-on study.

With great joy, Jane has passed the stewardship of Dandelion Herbal Center to her former students Allison Poklemba and Jessica Shepherd, continuing a lineage of teaching rooted in generosity, trust, and care for the plants.

Guest Teachers Throughout the Year

The apprenticeship also includes teachings from respected herbalists and plant educators, offering students a diversity of perspectives while remaining grounded in the core mentorship of Rosemary and Jane.

Emily Ruff

Emily Ruff

Community Herbalist · Educator · Director, Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary

Allison Poklemba

Allison Poklemba

Herbalist · Seaweed Enthusiast · Book Publisher

Dr. Christopher Hobbs

Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D.

Clinical Herbalist · Mycologist · Research Scientist

Seraphina Capranos

Seraphina Capranos

Clinical herbalist · Homeopath · Priestess of Plant and Healing Wisdom

Jessica Shepherd

Jessica Shepherd

Community Herbalist · Plant Aroma Wizard · Formulation Genius

What’s Included in Your Apprenticeship

Enrollment includes live mentorship, hands-on learning, and a rich ecosystem of resources designed to support you throughout the year.

Core Apprenticeship Experience

  • 10 months of live mentorship with Rosemary Gladstar & Jane Bothwell
  • Monthly hands-on projects and reflections
  • Supplemental handouts and guided reflections
  • Live Q&A sessions throughout the year
  • Guest teacher sessions woven into the curriculum

Learning Resources & Extended Study

  • Lifetime access to class replays included
  • 3-year membership to the Online Science & Art of Herbalism Home Study Course
  • Rosemary Gladstar’s A Walk in the Garden video series
  •  Plants for the People Summit lifetime replay access

Community & Ongoing Support

  • Dedicated apprenticeship forum space
  • Project feedback from The Science & Art of Herbalism teacher team
  • Opportunities for connection and shared learning
  • Exclusive invitation to the optional in-person gathering (not included in tuition)

Ceremony, Completion & Special Access

  • Traditional Bone Moon Necklace upon graduation
  • Certificate of Completion upon graduation
  • One-time 100% off coupon for Homegrown Herbs by Tammi Hartung (shipping not included)
  • Discounts for continued learning opportunities

Tuition & Enrollment

Your tuition helps sustain the mentorship, teaching team, learning platform, and community spaces that hold this apprenticeship. It also supports our ongoing commitment to keeping herbal education rooted in care, accessibility, and integrity.

For Science & Art of Herbalism students and alumni: A $300 welcome-back tuition discount is available for the apprenticeship without the online course included.

Already a student? Please to access alumni enrollment.

$2,200

$2,200

after February 9
All tuition is listed in USD.

Payment Plans Available

To support accessibility, flexible payment options are available at checkout through Affirm and PayPal Pay Later. Availability and terms are determined by the payment provider.

Enroll Now

Reflections from students of Rosemary & Jane

Learning with Rosemary and Jane is as much about relationship as it is about knowledge. These students share what that experience has meant in their own words.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Spirit & Essence of Herbalism Apprenticeship is a unique experience and a wonderful supplement to The Science & Art of Herbalism home study course. The course and the apprenticeship offer separate but complementary journeys. Completing the apprenticeship is not required in order to complete the home study course.

Live Classes: A Guided Journey Through The Science & Art of Herbalism offered a series of live, reflective classes designed to inspire students and deepen their connection to herbal wisdom through stories, themes, and seasonal teachings.

The Spirit & Essence of Herbalism Apprenticeship is a more immersive journey. Rather than a class series, it is a ten-month online apprenticeship that centers on hands-on practice, live demonstrations, ongoing dialogue, and guided projects. Students gather for 20 live sessions, learn alongside Rosemary, Jane, and guest herbalists, and engage in reflective and practical work that supports embodied learning over time.

This apprenticeship is designed for those who feel ready for a deeper level of participation, mentorship, and practice within a consistent learning circle.

Additional bonuses include:

  • Rosemary Gladstar’s The Science & Art of Herbalism online home study course (3 year membership)
  • Plants for the People Summit lifetime replay access
  • A Walk in the Garden video series
  • Special access to an online forum apprenticeship community for peer-to-peer engagement that is moderated by Science & Art of Herbalism teachers
  • Extra handouts and reflection materials
  • 9 hands-on project and reflection prompts with feedback from our Science & Art of Herbalism teacher team
  • Coupons for deeper learning
  • Exclusive invitation to participate in in-person gathering
  • Certificate of Completion and Bone Moon Necklace

The Spirit & Essence of Herbalism Apprenticeship includes 9 hands-on projects or reflection prompts. To receive the apprenticeship Completion Certificate and Bone Moon Necklace, apprentices must complete all 9 prompts and submit them through the web portal before December 31, 2026. To help keep apprentices on track, we encourage apprentices to complete one prompt per month. A team of Science & Art of Herbalism teachers reviews each submission and provides feedback and encouragement. 

Examples of apprenticeship prompts include:

  • Make a tasty formula for a reluctant herb user and share it with them. Record your formula and share a few sentences about how it was received. Did your recipient like it? Would they be willing to add it into their routine? In addition to submitting your recipe and short write-up through the portal, please also share your recipe in the Apprenticeship Forum.
  • Evaluate your personal and/or family needs and write a list of what herbs and remedies you should keep on hand to address these needs. Please share your evaluation and the list of herbs and remedies that you think your family should have on hand.
  • Harvest two plants that are in-season, ideally from different parts of a plant; for instance, root and leaf, or leaf and bark, flower and leaf… your choice. Share a short write up about the plants and plant parts you chose–what did you harvest? Where did you find it? What was your harvesting experience? We’d love to see some photos of your harvest in the Apprenticeship Forum.
 

We offer payment plans through PayPal Pay Later (4 installments) and Affirm (multiple flexible options). Eligibility is determined by each provider, and available options will appear at checkout.

To access the live sessions, you’ll need a device with internet access (like a computer, tablet, or smartphone), the Zoom app installed, and a stable internet connection. A webcam and microphone are recommended for full participation but are optional.

While The Spirit & Essence of Herbalism Apprenticeship content supplements and deepens The Science & Art of Herbalism course lessons, the apprenticeship will also cover several areas that are not included or are only touched on briefly in the course. Apprenticeship session topics include: 

  • How to make herbs taste good for the reluctant user
  • Herbs and astrology with Emily Ruff
  • Herbs for family health
  • Wildcrafting
  • Medicinal seaweed with Allison Poklemba
  • Adaptogens and the nervous system
  • Flower essences
  • Medicinal mushrooms with Christopher Hobbs
  • Kitchen medicine
  • Deepening our relationship with plants
  • Homeopathy with Seraphina Capranos
  • Digestion and the immune system
  • Herbs for winter health
  • Aromatherapy with Jessica Shepherd
  • Celebration and ceremony
 

Yes! Apprentices have lifetime access to the The Spirit & Essence of Herbalism Apprenticeship replays and session materials on our website. The Apprenticeship does not include lifetime access to The Science & Art of Herbalism course.

No, The Science & Art of Herbalism students still have 3 years from their course purchase date. While all apprenticeship sessions take place in 2026, students will have lifetime access to session replays on our website.

Each Spirit and Essence of Herbalism Apprenticeship session includes a hands-on project or reflection prompt. To receive the apprenticeship Certificate of Completion and Bone Moon Necklace, apprentices must complete all 9 prompts and submit them through the web portal before December 31, 2026. To help keep apprentices on track, we encourage apprentices to complete one prompt per month. A team of Science & Art of Herbalism teachers reviews each submission and provides feedback and encouragement. 

Examples of apprenticeship prompts include:

  • Make a tasty formula for a reluctant herb user and share it with them. Record your formula and share a few sentences about how it was received. Did your recipient like it? Would they be willing to add it into their routine? In addition to submitting your recipe and short write-up through the portal, please also share your recipe in the Apprenticeship Forum.
  • Evaluate your personal and/or family needs and write a list of what herbs and remedies you should keep on hand to address these needs. Please share your evaluation and the list of herbs and remedies that you think your family should have on hand.
  • Harvest two plants that are in-season, ideally from different parts of a plant; for instance, root and leaf, or leaf and bark, flower and leaf… your choice. Share a short write up about the plants and plant parts you chose–what did you harvest? Where did you find it? What was your harvesting experience? We’d love to see some photos of your harvest in the Apprenticeship Forum.

Yes! Alumni are welcome to enroll in The Spirit & Essence of Herbalism Apprenticeship with online course access included, and we would be delighted to welcome you into this learning circle.

Because the alumni welcome-back gift is specifically offered for the apprenticeship without the online course, the $300 alumni discount does not apply to the version that includes course access. When the online course is included, it is already bundled as a special bonus and represents our best-value, most comprehensive learning option.

If you’re deciding between the two paths, you’re warmly invited to choose the option that best supports where you are in your herbal journey right now. 

We are delighted to offer the in-person gathering as an optional add-on for our apprentices. The in-person gathering is not included in the apprenticeship tuition. Rosemary, Jane, and other members of the apprenticeship team look forward to gathering in community from August 13–16, 2026, at White Dove Herbal Sanctuary in Montpelier, Vermont.

The apprenticeship itself runs through December 2026, and the gathering happens during the journey, not at the very end. Attendance is completely optional and not required to complete the apprenticeship.

Join the Circle

This apprenticeship is an invitation into shared time, steady practice, and relationship—with the plants, with one another, and with the ways herbalism lives in everyday life.

If you feel drawn to learn in a circle that values care, presence, and lived experience, we would be honored to welcome you. There is no expectation to arrive already knowing. Only a willingness to listen, to practice, and to walk alongside others over the course of the year.

Whether this feels like a next step in a long herbal journey or the beginning of something new, we trust your sense of timing. If this path feels right, we invite you to join us.

Join us in the Circle

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