6 Herbal Tea Ingredients you can Grow in the Garden

There’s nothing better than using fresh ingredients from the garden in our dishes, so why not grow ones for our tea too? Many of the plants that are used for herbal teas are easy to grow in the UK and often lend themselves to a whole host of other things too.  

Below we list some of the easiest and most popular herbs to grow for tea, many of which we use in our loose leaf teas.  

Lavender 

Lavender is super easy to grow in the U.K. and produces bushy fragrant flowers, which are great for bees and other pollinating insects. To use lavender in your tea simple take 4/5 fresh buds, give them a wash and boil them for a few minutes. We use our tea strainers for this, however if you don’t have one you can just add the flowers to your cup and remove them once it’s brewed.  

As well as tea you can use cuttings for fresh flowers around the house, leaving every room feeling fresh and tranquil. Or how about having a go at making your own natural lavender oil? It works wonders if you have problems falling asleep.  

Mint  

Another plant that grows and bushes out quickly and is great for a refreshing tea, or even adding to cold water to give it an extra bit of natural flavour. Aside from tea, you can use it for many dishes or even cocktails (fancy a mojito?). Stay tuned for our mint and lavender tea recipe.  

Lemon Balm  

Just like the others, it grows super fast and will soon spread into its own mini bush. In order to make a lemon tea, take a handful of the leaves and snip them all to release the oils. Then add them to some boiling water and leave to brew for a few minutes. The fragrant leaves can also be used as an insect repellent, or for a natural perfume. Chamomile 

with daisy like flowers, the chamomile plant will give a splash of colour, as well as being perfect for your calming teas. Combine this with lavender, lemon balm and some citrus peel for a refreshing calming drink. 

Passion Flower 

Passion flower is an evergreen climber, which produces unique and tropical looking flowers. Even if you’re not using it for tea, it’s a delightful plant to have in the garden and is relatively hardy, not needing too much care. For passion flower tea you’ll need to dry out the flowers first and then brew them for around 6-8 minutes, until you notice the colour of the water change. 

For more information about the benefits of passion flower, read our post on the link between passion flower relieving anxiety symptoms here.  

Hibiscus 

As hibiscus is a tropical plant, you’ll need to grow it indoors in the UK, or in a greenhouse, but it makes for a stunning house plant once it flowers. 

To make hibiscus tea simply take a selection of the flowers and boil them until your water has turned bright red.  

Chamomile 

with daisy like flowers, the chamomile plant will give a splash of colour, as well as being perfect for your calming teas. Combine the flowers with lavender, lemon balm and some citrus peel for a refreshing calming drink.