In September 2021, I was lucky enough to take a guided tour of Madingley Hall garden with Julie Dore and, within five minutes, I knew I wanted to invite her on the podcast.

Keen to explore her love of plants and nature and to help people be well and healthy, Julie left her career in local government finance to become a qualified medical herbalist and member of both the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH) and the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy (CPP). She's also an experienced university lecturer in natural sciences.

Although semi-retired now, Julie still tutors on Open University courses and leads guided walks and talks on plants and their uses with the Women’s Institute, gardening groups, the University of the Third Age, and at Madingley Hall where I met her. Care of the environment and its preservation are key to her. She’s also passionate about ancient history, natural sciences, wildlife, and going on nature tours in the UK and around the world, especially in Africa.

A born storyteller, Julie shares with us her passion for nature and the many creative ways to harness it. We talk about the divide between conventional medicine and medical herbalism, as well as the suspicion around the use of herbs, despite herbalism being the oldest form of medicine. She also explains what it takes to become a medical herbalist and what consultations are like.

As she shares stories about trees, plants, and herbs, Julie reminds us of the extraordinary creativity human beings have showed since the dawn of time when it comes to exploring nature. After this episode, you will not see nature around you in quite the same way!

For information on Julie’s walks, talks, and demonstrations

UK National Institute of Medical Herbalists

ABOUT THE CREATIVITY FOR ALL PODCAST

A maths teacher can be creative. So can a financial adviser, a community builder, and a yoga teacher. Not to mention a speed painter, a potter, or an actor!

Creativity is everywhere and I love nothing more than to explore it in The Creativity for All Podcast, either by focusing on a theme – such as perfectionism, feeding your creative brain, or the pressure to be creative – in my solo episodes, or through my conversations with all manner of creative people.

I want to challenge the perception of creativity and, in the process, debunk many myths attached to it: it's painful, for artists and the chosen few, etc.

My guests and I are keen to zoom in and dissect the origin of an idea, the impulse that makes us engage with our own creativity, with the hope that it will inspire listeners to get creative too.

My podcast is designed for anyone who’s already being creative, or is tempted to use their creativity, in particular those of you who think they are not creative or can never be. I would love to change your mind!