Garden notebook Seasonal tasks and planting ideas
Growing herbs to make into teas is easy and if you plant a few different types, you can mix and match to get your perfect cuppa. Just add to a cup or pot of boiling water.
* With its apple-like taste, camomile is probably the best-known herbal tea. It’s easy to grow from seed in a sunny spot or, simpler still, buy small plants. Harvest the flowers as soon as they open in summer and dry them in open bags hanging in your kitchen. Use one teaspoon per cup.
* There are so many different types of mint – peppermint, spearmint, applemint, even chocolate mint – and they’re easy to grow in shade or sun. They like moist soil so don’t forget to water them. You can use the leaves fresh for tea or collect bunches and hang them to dry for use later.
* Jasmine tea is used for relaxation. It’s a climber that will be happiest in sun so will need wires or a trellis to climb up. Pick the delicately perfumed flowers and use them fresh to make the tea. Tear them up to help release the flavour before putting them in the pot or cup.
* Lemon balm is very easy to grow and has tiny white flowers that attract bees, but it’s the citrus-scented leaves, either fresh or dried, that will make a wonderful tea.
l For more inspiration, Rachel de Thample’s book, Tonics & Teas (£9.99, Kyle Books) has a huge variety of methods and recipes