Gathering Thyme owner Cheryl Fromholzer teaches herbalism classes and offers a wide selection health aides including herbs, teas, tinctures, salves, incense and candles Thurs. Dec 4, 2025 at her shop on Petaluma Blvd. South. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Cheryl Fromholzer first became interested in traditional herbal medicine 35 years ago, when living in Marin County, right around the time her daughter was born. She started out by devouring every book she could get her hands on, making simple recipes she found to be helpful for her daughter and family.
“I’ve always been a gardener and had a strong connection to nature and plants and trees,” Fromholzer said, “so I really gravitated towards studying herbalism.”
Eventually, she began taking classes with different herbalist teachers throughout the Bay Area, and soon realized she wanted to become an herbalist clinician herself. As Fromholzer explains it, an herbalist clinician is someone who is highly trained in traditional herbal medicine, along with modern, evidence-based science and established knowledge of the properties of plants. After studying for three years at the Ohlone Herbal Center (now called the Berkeley Herbal Center), she eventually began teaching there.
In 2010 she quit her job at Autodesk and co-founded Gathering Thyme, an herbal store and school in San Anselmo.
“We started out as just an herb store,” Fromholzer said, “and then gradually opened the school a couple of years later, and began teaching Western herbalism.”
Earlier this year, after more than two decades in Marin, she relocated to Petaluma and brought Gathering Thyme with her. She has now reopened the business, this time as its sole owner, operating the shop out of a 1906 bungalow on Petaluma Boulevard, a short walk from the heart of the downtown area.
“I love Petaluma,” she said. “It just feels more relaxed – and I’ve wanted to move here for years.”
Salves, tinctures, oils and more for physical and mental health at Gathering Thyme Thurs. Dec 4, 2025 in Petaluma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Gathering Thyme, carefully designed to be a warmly inviting space for its customers, offers a large assortment of bulk herbs and spices, herbal tea blends, tinctures, mushrooms, seaweeds, herbal oils and salves, supplements, candles, incense, aromatherapy, books and bath and body care products.
“We even have a space with a couch,” Fromholzer said. “During the day we have kids coloring books and things in there, and we invite people to hang out. Sometimes we make tea. I love community building, it’s in my blood. I just love bringing people together.”
Gathering Thyme now regularly hosts community events and workshops on topics like sound healing, designing and growing your own herb garden, how to attract native bees to the garden, how to use everyday herbs, the magic and medicine of honey and even holistic pet care.
Fromholzer also offers a low-cost or no-cost virtual clinic, which she started last year. Those who are very low income pay nothing, and those who can afford it pay $25 for an hour-and-a-half session.
The clinic is operated by students who have gone through 600 hours of training at the Gathering Thyme School of Western Herbalism, a three-year clinical program.
Herbal teas for physical and mental health at Gathering Thyme Thurs. Dec 4, 2025 in Petaluma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
“This is where they get hours to become a registered herbalist through the American Herbalist Guild,” Fromholzer said. “It also gives them an opportunity to begin seeing clients and to really develop their clinical skills under supervision. I’ve been waiting for this day forever, and I feel so grateful that I’m able to offer this to the community.”
Fromholzer is clear that her staff does not treat, prescribe medicines for, or cure patients as a doctor would, and says that she understands the importance of Western medicine. She also sees the benefits of more traditional remedies.
Noting that herbal remedies have been used traditionally for thousands of years, Fromholzer added, “We can put together herb blends that are traditionally used for anxiety, for instance, or herb blends that are traditionally used for sleep. That’s really where our claim to fame is. We can really help people with their healthcare needs this way because everyone who works in the store is a trained clinical herbalist.”
What Fromholzer loves most about what she’s created in Petaluma with the new Gathering Thyme, she said, is simply helping people to understand the power of the amazing plants that grow all around us.
“From the dandelions and plantains, those ‘wild weeds’ which are some of my favorites, to the culinary herbs like rosemary and thyme, they’re powerful healing agents.”
All the details
What: Gathering Thyme shop and herb school
Where: 426 Petaluma Blvd.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; 12-4 p.m. Sundays
Phone: 415-524-8693
Information: GatheringThyme.com