Alumni Profiles

Home Grown Maria Groves '99 says herbal remedies grow right in our backyards By Crystal Ward Kent '78

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For Maria Noel Mandile Groves '99, every flower and plant holds amazing healing powers, waiting to be revealed. An herbalist, Groves runs a company in Allenstown, N.H., called Wintergreen Botanicals, where she works with clients, writes about herbs, teaches classes and touts the benefits of everyday plants.

Photographer: Gary Samson

Even as a child, Groves was fascinated by the medicinal powers of plants. "We had a Reader's Digest book about natural ways of healing, and I was amazed that you could use black birch bark to heal a headache," she recalls. The more she learned, the more fascinated she became, and soon she was studying herbology full time. She earned her certification with one of the country's leading herbal educators, Michael Moore of the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine, and also completed Rosemary Gladstar's Science and Art of Herbology course as well as her advanced herbal program.

"To me, this knowledge was exciting, empowering and comforting," Groves says. "When I walk in my yard, I can see all around me wonderful plants that can be used as healing teas or salves, or household or personal aids. When I hike through the woods, and see plants that I work with, it's like greeting old friends."

Groves offers teas, salves and body creams, among other items. "I can't diagnose an illness because I'm not a certified healthcare provider," she says. "But if you already know you have a particular problem, I can recommend a treatment that might help you."

She has noted a resurgence in herbal medicine in recent years. "People are looking for more natural ways to take care of their health," she says. "Folks feel they are being prescribed too much medicine and are concerned about the effects this might have on their bodies. They're looking for natural alternatives. People also like treatments they can prepare at home, and many of our teas fill that requirement. And finally, it can be less expensive to use a natural remedy rather than a pharmaceutical."

Although she admires all healing plants, Groves has some favorites. "I enjoy chewing on wintergreen leaves," she says. "It was also one of the first plants I learned to identify. Bee balm is easy to grow and both the leaves and the flowers are tasty when made into a tea. It's good for a cold or flu. Holy basil is related to regular basil, but it's not a cooking herb. It's good as a tea and is used to fight stress. It makes you feel very relaxed, and is also good for balancing your blood sugar and to fight inflammation. I call it my 'zen' herb."

Groves has been helping to organize the New Hampshire Herbal Network, and she hopes to put together a university degree program in herbal medicine. The network lets herbalists become aware of each other's services, offer support, promote the farmers they work with, offer workshops, classes and farm and studio tours, and educate the public about what herbalists offer. "Perhaps one day, with the right educational outreach," she says, "more people will be able to look around their woods or yard and realize the tremendous resources they have there."