When we choose to work with plant medicine, we choose to walk in the beauty and slowness of the natural world. In doing so, we learn how to hear our green allies, ourselves and others needs, and to embrace our own wild spirit.” ~Nicole Telkes
ABOUT Nicole
Nicole is a practicing herbalist, educator and activist. She sees clients both online and in person for acute and chronic health issues related to the body, mind and spirit. Her in person practice is currently split between Austin, Texas and Seattle, Washington. She is also the Director and Founder of the Wildflower School of Botanical Medicine. She specializes in bioregional medicinal plants and is a fully stocked herbal apothecary with wild and weedy custom formulations for her clients and students from her gardens and botanical sanctuary. Nicole is committed to honoring, respecting, and protecting the Earth through all her work. In 2009 she became a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild. Nicole has practiced, collected herbs, and taught since 2000, and has studied ecology, botany, and bioregionalism since 1995.You can reach out to her for wellness appointments, speaking at your event, land consulting, clinical mentoring, writing, or teaching.
Nicole’s approach to wellness and herbalism in general blends together the ideas of permaculture on the land and holism in the body. She wrote the first book on herbs of her bioregion, The Medicinal Plants of Texas. Her insitutional learning comes from receiving a BA in Botany and Ecology from the University of Texas. Read more about her family lineage and training here
Books
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✨ Foreword by Rosemary Gladstar!. HerbCraft was born out of the social, environmental, and health upheaval of 2020. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Nicole was called to slow down and find new, creative ways to share her teaching and passion for plant medicine. Out of that challenge came this 322-page introductory guide, created both as a reference for her students and as an invitation for anyone curious about folk herbalism.
More than a simple “which plant for which ailment” manual, HerbCraft paints a picture of what it means to live as a folk herbalist today. It encourages readers to take charge of their health safely and mindfully, while staying rooted in sustainability, personal responsibility, and respect for traditional plant wisdom. Nicole bridges ancient knowledge with modern practice, offering a resource that is both practical and inspiring.
Here’s what herbalist Margi Flint has to say:
*“So, you want to be an herbalist? Start here. HERBCRAFT is a gift for all people engaging with plants on this Earth. Good herbal practice begins and ends with self-care, and Nicole weaves that truth through every page. She shares lessons in a way that is approachable and conversational, while honoring history, elders, traditions, and diverse practices. You’ll feel her warmth and reverence for the plants and the people who have walked this path before us.
Nicole Telkes has birthed HERBCRAFT, a complete guide to western holistic herbalism. Her wisdom comes not only from decades of teaching at the Wildflower School of Botanical Medicine, but also from years in the field—walking woods, deserts, shores, and plains, and then returning to the apothecary to craft remedies with care.
Even after forty years of practice, I found new knowledge in this book. It has earned its place on my first shelf, beside the works of my most revered mentors. I look forward to making it dog-eared.”*
What You’ll Find Inside HerbCraft:
Chapter 1: Learning to Listen to Earth Rhythms—Connecting to Cycles and Seasons
Chapter 2: Tracing the Family Tree of Holistic Western Herbalism
Chapter 3: How Herbs Affect Different Bodies
Chapter 4: Connecting Outdoors—Sustainable Harvests
Chapter 5: Lessons in Health—Prevention and Herbal First Aid
Chapter 6: Making Your Own Herbal Remedies
Chapter 7: Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine—How to Research and Critically Evaluate Herbal Information
Chapter 8: Materia Medica
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Medicinal Plant Guide for Texas
The first medicinal plant guide for Texas! An introductory Materia Medica for Herbs, Herb Gardening, Wild Foraging, and Seasonal Information for Native, Weedy, and otherwise Useful Plants of Texas and the Deep South Vol 1
This book is written by the Director and Founder of the Wildflower School of Botanical Medicine, Nicole Telkes, and has over 140 native and naturalized Texas plants and their uses. It is used in our intermediate studies, Outdoor Skills Intensives. The book may also be helpful on wild plant walks.