In this episode of The Elder Tree Podcast, Taj sits down with Jaynaya D'Esterre, medical herbalist, spagyrist, regenerative medicinal gardener and founder of Dose Botanicals, to explore the intimate relationship between plants, people and place. From the slow evolution of a medicinal garden to the alchemy of medicine making, we explore what it means to practise herbalism as something more than a profession — as a way of life, a relationship, and an ongoing apprenticeship with the living world. Jaynaya shares her experiences of cultivating a medicinal garden over the past decade, including the patience of building soil, learning through failure, navigating water scarcity and growing over 90 species of medicinal plants. We delve into practical approaches to seed germination, ecological gardening, harvesting and processing herbs, alongside the fascinating world of spagyric medicine. Our conversation also wanders into the less tangible landscapes of herbalism: poisonous plants, animism, reciprocity, ancestral knowledge and the ways in which gardening can cultivate a deeper sense of belonging. We also discuss the realities of making a livelihood from herbalism, the tension between creating medicine and marketing it, and the importance of honouring complexity without making knowledge inaccessible. Jaynaya D’Esterre Atkins: Creator of DOSE Botanicals https://www.dosebotanicals.com.au/ Bachelor of Health Science (Western Herbal Medicine) | Cert IV Alcohol & Other Drugs | First Aid Level 2 + CPR | Working with Children check | Australian Bush Flower Essences Level I & II | Permaculture Design & Teacher Training | Cert IV Small Business | Annual Continued Professional Education (CPE) Jaynaya is a registered Western herbalist, researcher, and founder of DOSE Botanicals. Her work integrates historical ethnobotany, traditional Western herbalism, and spagyric laboratory practice, with a particular focus on the philosophical and material foundations of medicine in the ancient world. Whilst continuing her private practice in a limited capacity, Jaynaya is currently undertaking formal study in ancient history. Her research interests span Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Graeco-Roman, and Graeco-Arabic medical traditions, alongside the expansion of alchemical knowledge from antiquity into early modern Europe. Her work seeks to bridge scholarly research with applied botanical practice, examining how historical frameworks of medicine, cosmology, and material transformation inform contemporary herbalism. **BUY ME A CUPPA** If you liked the episode and want more, a cuppa fuels mywork and time, which is given for free. Leave a comment and a few bucks here: https://buymeacoffee.com/theeldertree **THE ELDER TREE TROVE PATREON COMMUNITY** You can join our Patreon hereand gain a deeper connection to our podcast. Pay only $2 per week to have access to bonus and often exclusive resources and opportunities- plus support the Elder tree at the same time! To find out more about The Elder Tree visit the website at www.theeldertree.org and donate to the crowdfunding campaign https://www.theeldertree.org/makeadonation. You can also follow The Elder Tree on Facebook and Instagram and signup to the newsletter. Find out more about this podcast and the presenters here. Get in touch with The Elder Tree at: asktheeldertree@gmail.com The intro and outro song is "Sing for the Earth" and was kindly donated by Chad Wilkins. You can find Chad's music here and here. ** TAJ SCICLUNA / BOTANICAL EDUCATION OFFERINGS** Taj Scicluna is a Botanical Educator, Bioregional Herbalist and Awe Seeker. Rekindling Herbal Enchantment whilst Honouring the Science. Discover her offerings here: http://www.botanicaleducation.com.au www.instagram.com/botanical_eduation http://www.facebook.com/botanicaleducation http://www.tiktok.com/botanicaleducation
