About Us
About Herban Garden
At Herban Garden, we are dedicated to reconnecting urban communities with the natural world through comprehensive education and personalized consultation services. Our mission is to empower individuals by providing in-depth knowledge about local wildlife, plants, and mushrooms, fish, along with promoting sustainable ecosystem management.
Through our services, we inspire better stewardship of the environment, offering houseplant consultations, and land assessments, as well as offer guidance on recognizing native and invasive species, cultivating mushrooms, and even how to go about creating bioactive terrariums.
Partnering with various organizations, we facilitate nature walks and classes, bringing the richness of nature into urban lives and fostering a deeper connection with the environment.
Our products include educational resources, consultations, land assessments, houseplants, artwork inspired by nature, and terrarium kits.
Our Forest Assessment and Advocacy Pilot Program, and the Herban Youth Explorers Pilot Program are both slated to start in Summer 2025.
About Jocelyn
Jocelyn Perez-Blanco, Founder of Herban Garden, is an educator, herbalist, urban naturalist, Flower Essence Therapist, conservationist and avid gardener with a background in biology, animal husbandry and agriculture. Her work infuses the values of community-building, accessible learning, and the betterment of the environment through educational services, namely, providing consultations for everything from incorporating herbs into your life to tending to your houseplants and outdoor gardens. Via many free or low-cost interactive webinars, and workshops, and outdoor activities, she helps her students explore the many facets of plant identification, gardening and horticulture, herbology, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and ecosystem management.
Jocelyn grew up in a household where herbal remedies were the first line of defense against any sniffle or complaint, and while attending John Bowne High School, Jocelyn was part of their agriculture program, hoping to become a veterinarian. However, her academic journey took a turn in college when she decided to switch major to biology with a focus on ecology and evolution, leading her to a deep appreciation for urban ecosystems.
Over the years, she has dedicated herself to the study of the intricate relationships between local flora and fauna, and came to learn that many invasive plants in her NYC’s green spaces held medicinal properties, which inspired her to merge her expertise in ecosystem assessment with her passion for herbalism. Today, she is an enthusiastic advocate for environmental education, often leading community tours in local parks to introduce both native and invasive plant species and educate on their traditional uses and ecological impacts. Jocelyn’s mission is to foster a truly reciprocal relationship between people and plants, enhancing community engagement with local ecosystems while promoting sustainable practices. Her ultimate goal is not only to connect people to plants, but also plants to people.
She currently lives in NYC with her fellow plant-loving husband, 200+ houseplants, and their various pets of the furried, feathered, and scaly variety.
Jocelyn serves on the American Herbalists Guild’s Board of Directors, and is Chair of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. She is the former Executive Director of the nonprofit Herbalists Without Borders, as well as their NYC Queens Chapter Coordinator.
She is the organizer for the Herbalists MeetUp Group of NY, and is also a member of the Student Support Team at The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, and works as an educator and guide with NYCH20.
Her classes have been recommended by The New York Times, and have been offered through different organizations, such as Simpli, NFC Lifestyle Live, and T-Mobile.
As a Citizen Pruner with TreesNY, and a Super Steward, Trail Maintainer, and Corridor Keeper for NYC Parks, Jocelyn leads botanical walks, and participates in street tree care, invasive plant removal, and reforestation projects.
She has also partnered to lead walks for Latino Outdoors, Alley Pond Environmental Center, and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
She was part of the 2020 cohort for Cornell's Community Mushroom Educator Training, and completed the Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers Summer 2021 program.
Jocelyn is currently compiling research for a book series and has an interactive app and book review system under development.