Daniela Rey, a Colombian herbalist, gardener, and teacher living in Southern California, blends the wisdom of herbalism passed down from her mother and grandmother with her passion for building community and a connection with nature. She runs Growing Up Rooted, an herbal apothecary offering plant-based remedies, including herbal teas, tinctures, and salves. Daniela invites you to explore her online course, A Journey Through Medicinal Herbs, designed to help you deepen your connection with medicinal plants and integrate nature’s healing wisdom into your daily life. Find her products at growinguprooted.com, and follow her journey on Instagram (@growinguprooted).
What inspired you to start Growing Up Rooted, and how has your vision evolved since its inception?
Growing Up Rooted began as a desire to reconnect with nature and bring others along on that journey. I grew up in Colombia, and even though we lived in the bustling metropolis of Bogotá, we spent weekends visiting the family farm. It was a lovely balance between the vibrancy of city life and the calm of unwinding in nature. Years later, I found myself living in busy Los Angeles, raising two daughters. I felt anxious and constantly exhausted, and I began dreaming of a dramatic lifestyle change. We eventually moved to a small mountain town about an hour away from the city. With the move pulling me away from my photography clients, I felt called to reinvent myself and focus on herbalism—a passion I had inherited from the wise women in my family but hadn’t paid much attention to as an adult.
We found a house on a quarter-acre lot, and with the extra space, I was able to open a small nature school for homeschooling children. I built a garden, raised a flock of chickens, and started growing herbs, learning about their healing properties, and sharing that knowledge with my family and the children at the nature school.
A couple of years later, parents from the nature school began asking me to share the herbal remedies I made for my family. I decided to give the idea of running an herbal apothecary a chance. It was amazing how quickly the project took off and how grateful my community was to have someone locally formulating and sourcing organic herbs for their families. A year ago, I had the opportunity to rent a commercial space in our village, and I opened a brick-and-mortar shop where I offer our herbal apothecary products and host classes for both kids and adults. It’s been so rewarding to see how Growing Up Rooted is supporting our community, not only in building deeper connections with medicinal herbs but also with each other.
Do you have any advice for those who would like to welcome herbs into their lives but don’t know where to begin?
Start simple, and don’t overwhelm yourself. Pick one or two herbs that resonate with you, whether it’s for calming your mind, aiding digestion, or boosting your energy. Lemon balm, for example, is wonderful for relaxation and digestion, and oatstraw is also deeply nourishing. Both taste great as herbal infusions. My relationship with medicinal herbs really took off when I decided to replace my daily water intake with herbal infusions. Not only do they taste better than just water—encouraging me to stay hydrated all day—but they’re packed with additional vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that support my body and health in so many ways. My advice is to start small, learn about one herb at a time, and experiment with how it feels in your body. The key is to build a relationship with the plants and create daily rituals that feel natural to you.
Earlier this year, I launched an online herbal course called A Journey Through Medicinal Herbs with exactly this purpose in mind: to support people in getting to know gentle, effective herbs in a deep and personal way. I’ve heard so many wonderful stories from people feeling more connected to nature, experiencing improved energy levels and mental clarity, with daily herbal infusions, and deepening their connection to the wisdom of beloved plant women in their families.
{ Link to the Journey: https://growinguprooted.com/a-journey-through-medicinal-herbs }
How has your experience been sharing your love of nature and herbs with your children? Do you have any tips for moms who want to involve their children in their herbalism journeys?
It’s been so rewarding! Gardening and herbalism have taught us to slow down and notice the small beauties around us. When we first moved here, I knew that if I wanted my kids to spend time outside, I first needed to make it part of my own lifestyle. So, I built a garden and brought in chickens because it would be fun for me to tend. Then I opened a nature school, which might not be the most practical advice for everyone, but it worked great for us! In class, the kids help plant seeds, notice changes in the garden as the seasons move through the year, choose new herbs to try as herbal infusions, laugh at the silly things the chickens do as they free-range the garden, and play games together. Children are naturally curious, so my best advice is to let them explore the natural world with all their senses. I invite the kids to observe, smell, and feel nature around them. Don’t worry about making it perfect—just make it part of your everyday life, and it will naturally become part of theirs.
What is your favorite herbal ally for postpartum support?
Nettles is my favorite herb for times of healing and transition, and postpartum is definitely a time when we need to replenish our reserves of nourishment, calm, and support. I make sure to include it in every blend I prepare for a new mama. Nettles is a deeply nourishing herb that helps restore essential minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium, which are often depleted after childbirth. It also supports energy levels, reduces inflammation, and gently aids in milk production. It’s a grounding and resilient ally for restoring balance and vitality during the postpartum period.
What are some rituals you’ve been integrating this autumn?
As the season changes, I’ve been focusing on grounding and warming rituals. At the shop, we host more community workshops during the colder months when people are in greater need of connection, and during the summer, we take a break as everyone has plenty to do. So, I’m starting to dream up lots of fun opportunities for us to grow together.
As the days grow shorter, I like to start my mornings with a cup of chai, filled with warming spices like ginger and cinnamon to get my circulation going. After my morning drink, I go for a walk wearing a weighted vest. This time alone, letting my heart rate rise, nourishes me in so many ways. I’ve also been incorporating more nourishing and warming herbal infusions, like my Fall blend with red clover and elderberries, to support immunity and calm. These small, daily rituals help me align with the changes in nature and prepare for the colder months ahead.
