Grow your own Herbal Tea Garden
Making your own herbal infusions is so easy, so economical and so beautiful in the garden. Anyone can have a small herbal tea garden! You can make iced teas with the fresh herbs in the summer and you can dry the leaves and flowers for warming teas throughout the winter.
I don’t have any set recipes, I just mix pinches of herbs from different jars and make a big fresh batch each day. I always try and get some green leaves (like Tulsi) and some fragrant flowers (like Chamomile) in the batch, but you should experiment yourself – it’s all going to be delicious!
Here are some pretty awesome herbal teas to get you started!
Tulsi Basil (Holy Basil)
It has been used as an immune-enhancing, antifugal and antibacterial medicinal herb. It has been grown in India since ancient times. Makes a wonderful, soothing tea. At Sow True Seed, we carry two varieties:
Tulsi, Sri – a traditional green Tulsi, also known as Rama. A good variety for warmer climates, though it can be grown in colder climates if taken indoors during winter.
Tulsi, Kapoor – The Kapoor variety is the best tulsi basil for temperate gardens. A very aromatic annual that has been known to self-seed.
Bee Balm
A brilliant addition to late summer gardens. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees flock to these edible, lavender colored flowers on 12-24″ tall plants. Leaves and flowers are used for tea.
Borage
Piercing blue and purple flowers are edible in salads and make a delicious, soothing tea.
Chamomile
Chamomile, Bodegold: Highest oil content variety. Flowers are used to make calming tea with sweet apple-like flavor and fragrance. 30″ high plants.
Chamomile, German: Branched, somewhat erect stems grow to 24″ tall. Commonly used in teas to promote relaxation. Leaves and flowers are harvested at bloom and used fresh or dried for later use.
Lemon Balm
Lemon scented leaves are used in many herbal preparations and to make a delicious tea. Plants reach 24″ tall and spread very easily.
Hyssop
Excellent beneficial insect attractant. Blooms in early summer with lavender blue flowers on bushy plants. Well known for its historical medicinal properties, lesser known for its once common culinary uses.
Check out our Herbal Tea Infusion Collection
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Article Written by: Angie Lavezzo |
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About the Author: Angie Lavezzo is the former general manager of Sow True Seed. Beyond her professional role at Sow True, Angie's passion for gardening extends into personal hands-on experience, fostering plants and reaping bountiful harvests. |