I love tea, pretty much any flavour and usually without milk or sugar. I grow my own peppermint on my kitchen window sill so that I can always have peppermint tea.
Surely I am not alone in my love of tea and gardening?
There are plenty of different plants that can be home grown and then added to your tea. Herbal teas often have a medicinal use too, so not only do they taste wonderful they can actually make you feel better.
Growing your own ensures that you know where it has come from and what fertilizers/insecticides have been used (if any), I also swear it tastes better because I grew it.
Here are some great examples, starting with my favourite and probably the easiest to grow.
| Peppermint |
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A really refreshing taste which is uplifting and cleansing.
Itās wonderful for stomach troubles of all kinds.
Peppermint is generally very easy to grow and enjoys sunny and semi-shaded spots. As it grows very, very easily, unless you want it all over the garden, keep it pot-bound.
The leaves are the part used for making tea.
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Camellia Sinesis (Tea Plant)
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The tea plant can be used to produce green, black and oolong tea.
Itās a pretty hardy plant, which likes well-drained and sandy soil that is on the acidic side. It can be grown individually in a pot or as a hedge.
The dried leaves are used for tea each flavour requires slightly different preparation. Your plant should be around 3 years old before you start harvesting leaves.
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| Lavender |
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Softly fragrant tisane thatās ideal for soothing and calming.
Especially recommended for reducing tension and soothing headaches.
Lavender grows well in full sun, well-drained soil.
Lavender buds are the part of the plant used for tea.
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| Lemon Verbena |
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This has a refreshing, tangy lemony taste.
A hot herbal infusion of lemon verbena acts as a mild sedative. Itās also used to treat fevers and minor digestive disorders.
Simple but easy-to-grow leaves. It needs full sun and will not tolerate harsh winters, so keep it pot-bound if that's a danger in your area.
The leaves are the part used for tea.
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| Rose Hips |
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Rose hips are the seed cases for roses.
They are extremely high in vitamin C and are very good for you.
Rose hips will form once the rose bush goes to seed. The rose hips should be deep orange-red before harvesting.
Clean the rose hips gently before steeping.
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| Bergamot |
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Carries a touch of orange flavour.
The plant produces gorgeous bright red, violet or pink flowers and is happy in full sun or semi-shade.
The leaves and flowers are suitable for steeping.
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Chamomile (German)
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A delightful apple scented herb, it makes a gorgeous but delicate feature in the garden with small daisy-like flowers.
This one is traditionally used to induce calm and sleep.
It tolerates full sun to semi-shade.
The flowers are the preferred part for making the tea.
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| Rosemary |
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Rosemary has long been used in infusions for easing emotional depression and blood circulation issues among other things.
This plant prefers strong full sun but will tolerate light shade, and requires well-drained soil.
The leaves are used for tea and often honey will be added.
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Coriander (aka Cilantro)
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Usually used in cooking, coriander is also suitable for herbal tea and has a flavour similar to Lady Grey tea. With strong citrus undertones, this tea carries a spicy and acidic flavour
Accepts full sun to semi-shade and is an ideal container herb.
The leaves are used for tea.
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| Thyme |
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It is spicy and may be an acquired taste - try it first before cutting too much herb!
Thyme is considered to be a good tea for soothing stomach troubles and sore throats.
It is tolerant of full sun and semi-shade and is an ideal container herb.
Use the leaves for tea - if flowers are present, these can also be added.
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| Marjoram |
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This herb has a fruity, citrus flavour and an undertone of mint.
It grows well in full sun to semi-shade.
Leaves and flowers are suitable for steeping.
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| Jasmine |
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A fragrance reminiscent of summer time, jasmine provides a delicate and enticing flavour.
It grows in full sun to semi-shade and although it can form a part of your tea garden, it needs a trellis or wall at the back of the garden to really thrive. It is not suitable for cold winter climates, however, so if you endure that sort of weather, you will need a potting arrangement that can be moved indoors.
The flowers are the suitable part for making tea.
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| Violets |
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If you love the smell of violets, violet tea will probably be a favourite with you.
An excellent source of vitamins A and C. Violets are considered to be soothing and refreshing.
Violets prefer shady growing areas and are easy potted plants if desired.
The dried leaves and flowers are suitable for steeping.
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I hope I have inspired you to try new teas and grow new useful plants. Do you already grow your own plants to use in tea? Let us know your thoughts, tips and tricks in the comments below. Or you can always share your pictures with us on our Facebook page.
Happy Growing!
N.B. This article has been written for Australian gardens. If you're reading this from around the world, we do hope you've found it a useful stepping stone for your own further research.
