Violets & Herb Garden Tips 🌱 Last Call: Adv Health Concerns Series 🌱 May 2025 Newsletter

Published: Thu, 05/01/25

Updated: Thu, 05/01/25

Gardens & Violets
~ May Newsletter ~

The Green Season is arriving!

As we transition into May, this is a very exciting month for plant people. (Look at those adorable Canada mayflowers waving their bright green flags of spring!)

The bleak landscape quickly greens up, and warm days bring a new explosion of early blooms on the forest floor, in the garden, and high up in the trees. The ferns and leaves unfurl, the grass grows, and baby self-seeded seedlings and perennials are returning to the garden bed. We're almost past the risk of frost, and soon the garden will be fully planted with this year's food and herb crops. *swoon*

New & Seasonal in This Email

• Plant Spotlight - Violet

• Easy Growing Herbs & Seed/Seedlings Tips

• Advanced Health Concerns Series LAST CALL - Starts May 20th!

• Beyond the Home Herbalist - Starts June 17th - Special IN PERSON (almost full!) this year! Plus live-stream spots.

• Community Classes including the NH Herb & Garden Day and free library classes in Chichester and Newbury NH

• Free New Resource: 7Song's Herbal Database

On a Personal Note

📚 I'm still hard at work finishing up book #5! It's coming along, and I adore the content (I know many of my peers will really appreciate it!), but there's still quite a bit left to write. That book work remains my #1 focus. It's officially due May 15, but I've been offered an extra 4-6 weeks and will gladly take it. Non-book life resumes (series, community classes, some pre-scheduled client appointments) in late May but with this extended deadline, I've put a halt on any new appointments or commitments.

📚 I sent in my very last comments on the almost-done book 4. Set to release early next year... hopefully in a few months I can share the cover, topic, and eventually preorders.

🌱The deck garden has been set up, seeds planted (seedlings to come closer to late May/early June) - so glad to have my little oasis back. I can't wait for my planters to erupt with fully grown seeds and seedlings (shiso, lemon balm, holy basil, parsley, basil, and lemongrass are definitely on "my list"!). I am enjoying the pansies and returning mints, while watching pea, cilantro, dill, and calendula seeds sprout. The yard and forest are an ever-growing spread of violets, blooming goldthread, dwarf ginseng, Canada mayflowers, wood anemone, and lily of the valley.

We continue to navigate challenges as they come but are grateful to be amongst our family and friends, looking ahead to the green season, and free time on the back deck and on the water. 🛶

Violets (Viola spp.)

This common springtime wildflower is easily overlooked as a medicinal and culinary herb. It’s just so ubiquitous that we take it for granted. Inspired to learn more about violet? Check out this great write-up by herbalist jim mcdonald as well as my Spring Virtual Herb Walk

Easy Growing Herbs &
Planting Seeds/Seedlings

As an herbalist without a green thumb, I assure you, only weeds surpass herbs in ease of cultivation. Many thrive in spite of terrible soil, varying sun, and infrequent watering. Learn more in my Easy Growing Herbs blog. Also check out my Planting Seeds & Seedlings blog post for tips on gardening, seeds and seedlings.

LAST CALL for
Advanced Health Concerns Series
Starting May 20th!

SPECIAL THIS YEAR ONLY
May - June and September -November
Tuesdays 6-9 pm EST

Expand personal and clinical herbal skills with advanced health topics. Better understand complex health concerns and body systems including herbal and natural support options.

36 core class (plus at least 21 hours optional/bonus class) hours of core live streamed webinars!
All classes will also be recorded and available for replay with no deadline to watch.
Hundreds of pages of class notes and full color slides.

Class Topics & Teachers
Taught by Maria Noël Groves & Guest Teachers

12 Core Live Streamed (& Recorded) Classes
• May 20: Art of Formulation & Protocol Tips w/Maria
• Jun 3: Advanced Gut Repair w/Maria
• Jun 10: Menopause w/Maria
(break for summer - the Summer Beyond the Home Herbalist Series is great prep for fall classes.)
• Sep 9: Fatigue Differentials with Thomas Easley
• Sep 16: Nervous System, PTSD & Trauma Support for Herbalists with Amy Branum
• Sep 30: Herb-Drug Interactions w/Maria
• Oct 7: Thyroid w/Maria
• Oct 14: Lyme Disease & Coinfections with Debbie Mercier
• Oct 21: Herbal Cancer Care with Ember Peters (5-8 pm)
• Oct 28: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) & Histamine Intolerance Overview & Herbal Approaches with Mel Kasting
• Nov 11: Death and Dying Workshop for Herbalists with Suchil Coffman-Guerra
• Nov 18: COVID Considerations with Maria

PLUS BONUS CLASSES!
Optional but included with your registration – series students will also be able to DROP IN on *select* live streamed topics in Maria’s Home Herbalist and Beyond series Live Streamed & Recorded/On Demand:
• Mar 11: Stress, Adaptogens | Making Tinctures - now on-demand
• Mar 18: Relaxation, Sleep, Mood | Making Flower Essences - now on-demand
• Mar 25: Digestive System Basics | Making Topical Herbal Oils - now on-demand
• Apr 8: Blood Sugar Support | Making Herbal Salves
• Apr 22: Immune & Allergy Basics | Making Elderberry Syrup
• Apr 29: Reproductive System Basics | Making Bodycare Remedies
• Jul 22: Holistic Pain Management | Making Topical Pain Rub
• Aug 26: Autoimmune Basics | Making an Electuary

Series Details & Registration Here

Try it before you buy it!

5/20: Art of Formulation* Register HERE

6/3: Advanced Gut Repair* Register HERE

9/30: Herb-Drug Interactions Register HERE

NEW! Drop-in classes for Advanced Health Concerns. If you register for any one or more of these three classes and decide to upgrade to the full series, we can apply what they paid to the total series cost.

**Note that folks who are past or current Home Herbalist Students registrations do already have access to Art of Formulation and Advanced Gut Repair (details and access is in Google Classroom)

Are YOU Ready for this Course? While this course is designed for intermediate/advanced level students, many of the pre-requisite topics that you need are included as bonus classes with the series. If you're a total newbie, this series will be a bit overwhelming, but for those of you with *some* herbal foundation (the body, herbal actions, common herbs) will likely do great!

Register Now for
BEYOND the Home Herbalist Series
Tuesdays 6-9 pm Eastern Time
June 17th to August 26th
Limited Remedy Kits Available

This series probably will not run live online next year and won't be in person again for several years.

🌱 Deepen your understanding of herbalism and the human body past the fundamentals with this beginner/intermediate course. Each class covers a body system and at least one remedy. For each body system or health concern, you'll learn how the body should work, how things get out of balance, and how to use herbs, diet, and lifestyle changes to bring it back into balance.

9 CLASSES Live Streamed

AND limited IN PERSON Spots Available
And all are also recorded and available for replay at your own pace with no deadline.

📚 Continue and deepen your education beyond the basics. In the nine classes, we cover a body system and a remedy making technique (building on new topics not covered in the beginner Home Herbalist Series). Each 3-hour live class is accompanied by detailed class notes, full-color slides, and access to all the class recordings.

Prior attendance of the Home Herbalist series is encouraged but
not essential nor required.

Develop core skills as a home herbalist ~
also a great launching point for future clinical study

Live Streamed (& Recorded) Class Topics
Class 1: Backyard Medicine | Tea Blending
Class 2: Herbal Safety | Herb-Infused Broths
Class 3: Longevity & Vitality | Cordials, Elixirs & Oxymels
Class 4: Brain-Boosting Herbs | Brainiac Bonbons
Class 5: Strong Bones | Nourishing Infusions & Seaweed Snacks
Class 6: Managing Chronic Pain | Gin Raisins or Topical Pain Oil
Class 7: Strong Lungs | Herbal Cough Syrup
Class 8: Healthy Skin with Herbs | Flower Water & Herbal Exfoliant
Class 9: Autoimmune Support | Electuaries

Student perks include…

Lifetime access to online course materials

Bonus on-demand class and herb walk video recordings

1 year American Herbalists Guild student membership

Exclusive discounts to local and national herb farms, shops, and books

Certificate upon completion of the series/homework

Limited $125 value optional/included remedy kits
available (USA only)

Community Spring & Summer Events

Backyard Medicine:
Garden Herbs & Helpful Weeds

Co-hosted by the Chichester NH Gardening Club and Chichester Town Library
IN PERSON ONLY
Wednesday, May 21, 6-7:30 pm
at the Chichester Grange Hall, 54 Main St, Chichester, NH
Learn about the medicinal benefits of a variety of herbs that can be grown right in your backyard. We will discuss my top garden herbs and their multifaceted healing properties. From bedtime teas and immune support to brain boosters and wound healers, you can grow your medicine easily!
FREE and open to the public! No registration necessary – just drop in.

Herb & Garden Day

Hosted by the New Hampshire Herbal Network

IN PERSON ONLY

Saturday June 7, All Day

At the Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum, Warner, NH

I’m excited to speak once again for this beloved local event! Great classes! My class will be on Strong Bones, and many other great herbalists will also be teaching on other plant topics including herb walks. Lovely vendor market featuring local herbal and artisan goods (I will *not* have a vendor booth this year, though I *might* have a few books for sale with me after my class - you can also use the code HERBDAYPICKUP to preorder books to pick up AT MY CLASS via my website for me to bring for you that day - this code removes the shipping fee and lets me know to bring your book that day). Food will be available on site as well. Most of the event is outdoors, rain or shine. Register now to get the early bird price of $35. Ticket prices will go up to $55 on the day of the event. Details and registration here.

Growing & Using Peaceful Herbs

Hosted by the Newbury Public Library
IN PERSON ONLY

Monday, July 14, 6-7:40 pm

at the Newbury Public Library, Newbury, NH

Learn how to grow herbs that promote sleep, boost mood, quell anxiety, and encourage calm energy. We will discuss some of Maria’s favorite local herbs that can be grown in any size garden.
FREE and open to the public – no registration necessary. Just show up!

My community class/conference schedule is intentionally light this year to recoup after such a stressful last few years. I anticipate I'll do a few things next year and much more in 2027 when I'll have two new books to promote.

Get All Upcoming Class Info Here

7Song’s Herbal Database

Free new resource! After years of working on it, 7Song's FREE Herbal Database is now online! Please watch his YouTube Video of him describing some of the important aspects of the database. It is located on his website, 7Song.com The navigation bar at the top of the website includes the Herbal Database and a dropdown menu.