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Tea For Two & You In Your Garden
by Kathryn Ptacek
If shelling out two to three bucks for a lukewarm pseudo–oolong in an oversized styrofoam container isn't your cup of tea, then why not think about growing your very own tea garden where you know the leaves will be fresh and that newly brewed cuppa won't taste like liquid plastic.
The novice or master gardener can easily grow herbs for tea — a practice that's become ever more popular in the past few decades.
Louise Hyde, co-owner of Well–Sweep Herb Farm in Port Murray, New Jersey, says her favorites are lemon balm and spearmint. She likes them, she says, for the flavor. She recommends the herbs listed below, but cautions that would–be tea makers have to be careful with agrimony and costmary, which are generally used for medicinal purposes.
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria)
Plant this hardy perennial, also known as cocklebur or sticklewort, in full sun to light shade in a well–drained soil. Use the yellow flowers, leaves, and stems for a tea with a taste almost like apricot. Grows 3 to 5 feet. Zones 5–6.
Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
This annual with small white flowers prefers full sun and a cultivated soil. Use the leaves and seeds for a tea with a licorice–like flavor. Grows to 2 feet.
Bee balm (Monarda didyma)
Plant this hardy and mildew–resistant perennial — a favorite of humming birds and butterflies — in moist, fairly rich soil and sun or partial shade. The fragrant leaves make a minty tea. Grows to three feet. Zones 4–6.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Also known as catmint, this hardy perennial grows in full sun or partial shade and a moist, rich soil. Use the heart–shaped leaves for an aromatic tea with a slight minty flavor. You may need that relaxing tea, though, after fighting off neighborhood cats for this herb — cats love to roll in the fragrant herb that acts as a feline intoxicant. Grows 2 to 3 feet. Zones 3–6.
Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis)
Perennial that likes sun or partial shade, but wants moist, well-drained soil. Chamomile releases an apple–like aroma when stepped on. Use the bright green leaves in a tea for more of that apple taste. Grows 3 to 12 inches. Zones 3-6.
Costmary (Chrysanthemum balsamita)
Hardy perennial, also known as Bible–leaf, that prefers an average, well–drained soil and sun to partial shade. The grey–green leaves make a minty–tasting tea. Grows 2 to 4 feet. Zones 4–6.
Lavender Vera (Lavendula vera)
Hardy perennial that demands full sun and a dry, well–drained soil. Use the flowers for a sweet tea. Grows to 3 or 4 feet. Zones 6.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Plant this hardy perennial in light, sandy soil. Lemon balm prefers full sun to partial shade. Pick the light green leaves before the plant flowers (June-September) to brew into a lemony–tasting tea. Grows 2 to 4 feet. Zones 4-6.
Mint (Mentha species)
Hardy perennial that prefers shade to full sun and a moist, rich soil. Over 600 varieties exist, including: orange, apple, eau decologne, peppermint, spearmint, Corisican, silver, chocolate, curly, banana, Moroccan, Egyptian, lime, ginger, and pineapple, to name but a few! The three most common varieties are spearmint (Mentha viridis), peppermint(Mentha piperita), and penny royal (Mentha pulegium). Grows to 2 feet. Zones 3–6.
Tip: "The mints take over," Hyde says, and so gardeners should "put them in a pot and sink the pot into the ground." Mint, to put it mildly, is a vigorous grower.
Rose hips (Rosa species, especially rugosa) make an excellent tea. Rose hips are also packed with vitamins A, D, E, and especially vitamin C.
Ever the timeless dilemma for gardeners — seeds or seedlings? "Seedlings are the best to plant," Hyde says. At your local nursery look for sturdy stems, vigorous leaves with no wilt or yellow, and if there's any sign of a pest, put that pot right down.
To brew tea, take one teaspoon of dried herbs or one tablespoon of fresh leaves (crush or bruise them to release the oils; similarly, chop up the rose hips) for each cup of hot water. Bring water to a boil, then pour into a pre–heated tea cup or tea pot. Use an infuser or tea ball for the herbs, and don't depend on the color of the liquid to decide if your brew is too strong or too weak. Taste it, and adjust to your liking. For a treat, try blending two or more kinds of tea leaves.
A tea garden doesn't have to take up half your yard. You can easily grow herbs in containers on your patio or deck — ideal for city–dwellers who don't have backyards to play in.
And once you've savored your own refreshing tea straight from the garden, you'll never sip those store–bought brands again.
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published June 01, 2003
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