Registered Junior Herbalist Club Course Leader · South Wales

Junior
Herbalist Club

Inspiring a love of plants, nature, and herbal wisdom in young people, through hands-on, seasonal learning that grows with them.

Read on to find out more about the programme, or view upcoming Junior Herbalist Club events to book a place.

Ellie's handmade lavender sachet from her Junior Herbalist Club course leader training, with embroidered lavender sprig, alongside the bowl of dried lavender used in the session

A lavender bag created during Junior Herbalist Club

About the programme

What is the
Junior Herbalist Club?

The Junior Herbalist Club is a nationally recognised educational programme founded in 2014 by Medical Herbalist Mel Hornby. Built on the belief that every young person deserves access to traditional plant wisdom, Junior Herbalist Club teaches children and teens to identify, understand, and work with medicinal herbs through hands-on discovery.

The programme spans three progressive levels designed to grow with each participant, from playful plant exploration in childhood, through deeper botanical study, to evidence-based critical thinking in the teen years. In 2021, Mel Hornby received the Christopher Hedley Memorial Award for her Significant Contribution to Herbal Medicine through Junior Herbalist Club, a recognition of the programme’s impact across the UK and beyond.

Ellie is a registered Junior Herbalist Club Course Leader, one of a select group of qualified Medical Herbalists in the UK licensed to deliver the official Junior Herbalist Club curriculum. She is also a NIMH-registered herbalist with four years of full-time clinical training.

Registered Course Leader: Junior Herbalist Club certified
NIMH Registered: Ellie Marks MNIMH
4 years clinical training: Heartwood Education
Based in Caerphilly: South Wales

The Programme

Three levels

The Junior Herbalist Club curriculum has three progressive levels, each consisting of 10 sessions. Participants work through the levels in order, building practical skills and plant knowledge as they go.

Level One

Ages 7+

10 sessions

Hands-on herbal education for children, with 10 engaging sessions packed with discovery and practical skills.

  • Plant identification & botany
  • Simple remedy-making
  • Take-home herbal crafts
  • Seasonal nature activities
Starting Sept 2026 ↓

Level Two

Ages 7+ · after Level 1

10 sessions

Continues hands-on herbal education, building on Level 1 with 10 more sessions packed with discovery and practical skills.

  • Plant identification & botany
  • Preparation techniques
  • Take-home herbal crafts
  • Herbalist journalling

Level Three

Ages 12+ · after Level 2

10 sessions

Designed exclusively for teens, this advanced level dives deeper into herbal medicine and body systems, critical thinking, and real-world applications.

  • Body systems & herbalism
  • Herbal pharmacology
  • Critical & evidence-based thinking
  • Real-world applications
Now enrolling

Level 1 begins September 2026 in South Wales. Venue to be confirmed. Places are strictly limited. Add your name to the waitlist now.

Register for the event

What to expect

What happens in
a session?

Every session is practical, seasonal, and sensory. Young herbalists learn by doing: making, growing, identifying, and reflecting. No two sessions are the same, because no two seasons are.

  • Plant identification and foraging awareness
  • Making botanical preparations to take home
  • Planting, growing & connecting with the soil and seasons
  • Learning plant names, properties & traditional uses
  • Herbalist journalling, labelling & nature sketching
  • Plant folklore, cultural history & herbal stories
A cardboard tube sprouting with seeds, a craft activity from Ellie's Junior Herbalist Club training day, alongside a terracotta pot labelled Calendula

Growing seeds in a recycled cardboard tube, a Junior Herbalist Club activity

Every session

Something made,
something to keep

Every session is designed so young herbalists leave with something they’ve made with their own hands. From lavender sachets and herbal tea blends to poultices. Each take-home is a reminder of what they’ve learned, and a little piece of the plant world to carry with them.

A handmade herb packet labelled Thyme, Liquorice and Marshmallow Throat Coats, dated 19.05.25, made during a Junior Herbalist Club session

A take-home from a typical Junior Herbalist Club session: Thyme, Liquorice & Marshmallow Throat Coats, hand-labelled and dated

Common questions

Questions & answers

Who can join the Junior Herbalist Club?

Junior Herbalist Club is open to young people from age 7 upwards. The three levels are designed to be age-appropriate, so your child will always be learning alongside others at a similar stage. Ellie is happy to advise on the right level for your young person when you enquire.

Where do sessions take place?

Sessions are held across South Wales, in and around Caerphilly and Cardiff. Get in touch to find out about current venues and upcoming dates. Ellie will share full details when you enquire.

How long does each level take?

Each level consists of 10 sessions, typically run over a term or as a structured block. Ellie will confirm the schedule for upcoming cohorts when you get in touch.

Do they need any prior knowledge of herbs or plants?

Not at all. Level 1 is designed for complete beginners: curious minds are all that’s needed. Each level builds naturally on what comes before, so young herbalists at any stage will always have a place to start from.

Is there a minimum age?

Level 1 is designed from age 7. If your child is younger and very keen, get in touch and Ellie will advise on what would be most appropriate for them.

How do I book a place?

Keep an eye on the Journal & Events page for upcoming Junior Herbalist Club session dates. You can also use the enquiry form on the contact page or email Ellie directly at info@herbelleremedies.co.uk. Places are intentionally small and personal, so early enquiries are warmly encouraged.

Plant the seed

A young herbalist
begins somewhere

Whether your child is simply plant-curious or seriously interested in natural medicine, a Junior Herbalist Club session with Ellie is the start of something that can grow with them for life.

Enquire About Places