About | cotyledons

Who am I?

My name's Emma. As a child growing up in urban Britain, I learnt to identify local trees and flowers and to appreciate the vegetables grown by my father. My journey with healing plants began in my early twenties. As a young adult I suffered from asthma which impacted my social life and self-esteem. Just as I was resigning myself to learning to live with this condition, I was given a book on natural remedies for asthma which included compelling information on the anti-asthmatic and antioxidant properties of nettle tea. Curious to see if this could work, I started drinking nettle tea every morning and made changes to my diet, including eating an apple each morning. [For more information, see the post "An apple a day..."]. Over time, the asthma disappeared and I also gained the confidence to try out other herbal remedies.

My interest in herbalism led me to complete a three-year course at the Lyon School of Medicinal Plants (Ecole Lyonnaise de Plantes Médicinales) in France. Internships on two organic medicinal plant farms in south-west France and at a Herbalist's in Bordeaux gave me practical insight into working with medicinal plants from the seed to the sale of the end product. I created Cotyledons in 2023 with the aim of sharing the health benefits of plants.

Why did I choose the name Cotyledons?

Cotyledons are the first leaves that appear from the seeds of flowering plants. Formed in the embryo of the seeds, these leaves engage in photosynthesis and provide the plant with the necessary resources to develop during the first stages of growth. I love sowing seeds and, a few weeks later, seeing the cotyledons appear. It's the first sign of a new plant and a new beginning. There's something very hopeful and encouraging in this. Many times in my life I have experienced new beginnings: leaving home for the first time; studying, working and now living abroad; getting married; having children and, more recently, leaving a job teaching English at university to become a herbalist. The cotyledons remind me that the resources we need are always available.

By sharing knowledge and information through the blog, workshops, courses and plant walks, I hope to provide you with the resources you need to start or continue your own journey into the magnificent world of plants. If you would like to learn more, sign up to the free monthly newsletter.

To find out more about the incredible plant in the photo on the top left, click here.

Cotyledons in the news...

Sharing the health benefits of plants