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Life Gardening
Growing Your Own Herbs for Tea
 Imagine
walking over to your herb garden and plucking a few leaves or flowers to brew a fresh pot of tea...
It isn't as impossible as you might think.
Growing herbs is not difficult. Even if you live in a small apartment, you can still have a window
full of potted herbs waiting to be harvested for tea time.
Many herbs
make tasty teas. Some that have medicinal properies may be a bit
less delicious, but combined with a bit of mint or a hint of lemon
the taste can fool the temperamental taste buds of even the least
adventurous tea drinkers.
If you like your tea sweet you can try adding
a bit of Sweet
Honey Leaf (Stevia Rebaudiana) to your garden. It is a petite shrub in the Chrysanthemum
family that is 10 to 15 times sweeter than granulated sugar and safe for diabetics and dieters.
A few of the favorite herbs for teas...
Basil
Tea (Ocimum basilicum) - You may already be growing basil to use in cooking. Tea
can be made from the same leaves. If you have a window or patio garden, you're in luck. This herb
grows best potted in a sunny window. Don't overwater and you should have no problems. Basil Tea
is popular in India where it is called Tulsi Chai or Tulsi tea. Basil infusions are reported to
help with nausea. This herb also makes a very refreshing addition to a bath, but add other scents
if you don't want to smell like you've been cooking food.
Bee
Balm Tea (Monarda didyma) - This pretty plant may already be part of your garden.
It is called wild bergamot, horse-mint and Oswego tea in different areas. Native Americans brewed
this tea for stomach and bronchial ailments, but the fruity-minty flavor is a treat especially
as a chilled iced tea
on a hot day.
Chamomile
Tea (Chamaemelum nobile) - One knowledgable herbalist we know calls the German
chamomile plant "German pennicillin" and recommends it for everything from sore throat
to nervous stomach. Now research
may be backing up those claims. The tiny daisy-like blooms, seen growing wild on the sides of
most roads and in meadows throughout many areas of the world, are used as the base for the tea.
The mild flavor of chamomile tea can be enjoyed
by itself or you might enjoy adding a bit of apple juice, mint leaves or lemon verbena. Chamomile
tea is a reported to be calming and when taken before sleep can ease restlessness and nightmares.
The calming effects are used by many women to ease menstrual cramps. In the morning, a chamomile
tea bag can reduce puffiness and lighten dark shadows under the eyes. It is also used as a rinse
to lighten hair bringing out blond and light red highlights!
Fennel
Tea (Foeniculum vulgaree) -- This teas help digestion
and in the days before gas drops for babies were popular, a mild
fennel infusion was the best way to soothe baby with colic
and some say it helps
with lactation when mom has a cup of fennel tea. Drinking
fennel tea is also reported to be good for the eyes.
Lemon
Balm (Melissa officinalis) - This herb is lemony scented and tastes like mild lemons
with a touch of mint. It makes a soothing cup ot tea that many find helps with digesting a big
meal. It's easy to grow and the flowers add a nice touch of color and a citrus smell to the area
where it's grown. Lemon balm was called Hearts Delight in old England as a reference to the herbs
ability to lift the mood of those who drink lemon balm tea.
Lemon
Verbena (Aloysia triphylla)
- This hardy herb grows well in any sunny spot. The flavor is citrusy and makes a tasty tea. It's
also a popular herb to mix other teas. Try it with mint or rose hips. This shrub does not like
cold and needs plenty of sun. The lemony scent of the dried leaves makes it perfect for pot-pourris.
It's also excellent in finger bowls at fancy dinners — a bit more subtle than lemon. Cotton
or gauze pads soaked in lemon verbena tea seem to help to reduce puffiness around the eyes, but
be a bit careful as the citrus oils that produce the lovely scent may sting if it gets in your
eyes.
Mints (Mentha) -- There are many different
varieties of mint. Common mints are peppermint, spearmint, orange mint, applemint, pennyroyal
and lemon balm. Mint teas are relaxing and is often recommended to relieve colds and congestion.
Some say drinking mint tea before bedtime will help you to avoid nightmares and remember your
dreams. Chamomile or any citrus flavored herbs make a nice tea blend with any of the mints.
All mint plants are hardy perennials propagated
from either root division or cuttings. They are dominant plants that would love to overrun your
garden. To keep them limited to one area you can plant them in pots or bags to contain their roots.
Rose
Hips (Rosa) -- If your garden has roses, you have the makings of one of the favorite
herbal teas. Tea made from rose hips, the knobby bulbs left behind after the petals fall, is a
good source of vitamin C. The rose scented petals, either fresh or dried, are great for decorations
and pot-pourris. The hips are also eaten as a vegetable and used in wines, cordials and jams.
A solution of water, alcohol and rose hips can be used to brew Rosewater
to freshen up or moisturize dry skin. The tea is a good natural source of vitamin C. Be careful
not to use any rose petals or hips from plants that have been sprayed with pesticides!
These are just a few of the many herbs used
as soothing or medicinal infusions. Herbal teas can usually be made with fresh or dried herbs
and can be enjoyed either hot or cold.
Before you begin drinking any herbal teas
on a regular basis, check with your doctor. Although rare, some people have allergies to herbs
and related flowers that can flare up if you drink teas that trigger the allergy. People with
severe pollen allergies should be especially careful. The same proteins that make your nose run
when you inhale pollen may be released in herbal tea made from plants that trigger your allergies.
If you recognize an herb or plant that has caused allergic reactions in the past, don't make tea
out of it!
Herbs are natural medicines, but they contain
chemicals that can interact with other medications or cause strange, although rarely life threatening
reactions if you can't tolerate them. Some traditional herbal teas, like sassafras tea, are more
likely to cause reactions and many doctors warn against drinking it.
Remember that natural does not necessarily
mean harmless, but most herbal teas will not cause problems in most people. They provide a natural
way to relax, and that alone can boost the body's immune system!
Related Web Resources
The
Tea Herbal
Herb
teas are both culinary, medicinal
Brew
tasty teas from your own garden herbs
Why
Herbal Tea Really Is Hot Stuff: Fighting Cancer, Curing Colds; Good Health
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