A cup of tea doesn’t have to start in a tea bag. Your garden could become your very own tea cupboard, making it easy to grow your own tea at home. While Camellia sinensis has been grown in China for thousands of years to make black and green tea, many herbs, flowers and native plants can also be brewed into a fragrant cup. There really is something for everyone, and nothing could be fresher or more flavoursome than growing your own tea at home.
Popular plants to grow your own tea
Popular herbal tea choices include:
- Mint varieties
- Chamomile
- Pineapple sage
- Jasmine
- Cranberry hibiscus
- Lemon myrtle
- Lemon balm
- Lemon and lime verbena
- Raspberry leaf
- Bergamot
- Lemongrass
- Thyme
- Rose hip
- Calendula
- Lavender
- Dandelion
- Echinacea
- Yarrow
- Scented geranium
- Stevia
In addition to these choices, several plant roots can also make a delicious tea, including ginger, turmeric, liquorice, valerian and angelica.
Design a tea garden to grow your own tea
Designing a backyard tea garden adds a personal touch to every cup. A mix of herbs, flowers and shrubs can provide fresh ingredients straight from the garden for your perfect brew. Even a small garden bed, corner or a few pots can become a fragrant tea patch.
With so many plants to choose from, you can experiment with fresh or dried ingredients to create your ideal blend and enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own tea.
When growing your chosen tea plants, follow the instructions on the plant tag, as different plants have different growing requirements.
Harvesting tea plants from your garden
Tea plants are wonderfully versatile. Their leaves and flowers can be used fresh, or your harvest can be dried and stored for later use. If you choose to dry your leaves, store them in a sealed container once fully dried to help retain flavour and aroma while you grow your own tea at home.
How to make a home-grown cuppa
When using fresh ingredients, place them in a tea infuser ball and add it to a cup or teapot before pouring over boiling water. Diffuser teapots are another convenient option for brewing fresh tea from the garden.
Create your own tea blends
Why not get adventurous and create your own unique tea blends using plants from your tea garden? Mixing different herbs, flowers and native plants can help you discover new flavours and create a brew that is uniquely yours.
