Tea for two
Tea can be grown in your garden from a number of plants
Back in the 70s there was a decorating style that utilised lots of terracotta pottery, basket ware, macrame´ and dried herbs hanging from the rafters. No, I don’t know if it had a name but ‘Pretentious Hippie’ might work.
I didn’t have any macrame´ I swear, but I will admit to hanging bunches of plant matter from the ceiling, although it was mostly hydrangeas and other flowers that looked good when dried. Did they look good, though? Possibly they just looked dead.
Now I’m about to give it another shot, having recently read something that has inspired me to grow and dry my own herbs. It’s not going to be a de´cor feature, however, and they’ll be hanging in the studio, not in the living room.
My motivation is tea. I want herbs from which to make tea because I’m an enthusiastic tea drinker and I’d like to broaden my repertoire from strong gumboot to something more, well ethereal. Fortunately most of the ones I want are easy to grow.
Chamomile
The miniature white-and-yellow daisy-like flowers of chamomile taste of apple and make a light, refreshing tea. The plant is vigorous and self-seeding and like mint, it’ll be everywhere if you’re not careful. Get rid of the spent flower heads if you don’t want a whole plantation of it. Full sun and well-drained soil are the main requirements for growing chamomile and you can harvest the flowers for tea any time after the white petals appear.
Mints
Anyone but me can grow mint (stopping it is far harder) so it’s a good one to start with, and there are numerous flavours of mint available. Spearmint and peppermint are pretty common for teas, but you might prefer a fruit pineapple mint (M. suaveolens) or an orange mint (M. aquatica Citrata). People who can grow mint will warn you that it’s likely to run rampant through your garden and even your neighbours’, so grow it in pots. Harvest branches frequently and strip off the leaves for tea.
Anise hyssop
Anise hyssop is related to mints and hyssop. It was a traditional beverage of the Native Americans of the northern plains, and bees love it too. The tall spikes of purpleblue flowers can grow a metre tall given full sun and good soil. You can start it from seed and use both leaves and flowers for tea.
Bee balm (bergamot)
Another one that’s easy to grow is Bee Balm, or bergamot. Even the name gives you a sense of wellbeing. The flowers of this plant come in shades of pink, red, lavender, scarlet, and mahogany and it grows best in fairly rich, moist, and slightly acidic soil in full sun to partial shade. You can use the younger leaves and flowers for a tea that’ll be slightly spicy with a mild sweet flavour. The leaves and blooms are said to contain antibiotic and antiseptic compounds which can be infused to ease sore throats and cold symptoms.
Lemon verbena
This one is a real star in the garden and the kitchen. It loves full sun and does best in rich, moist, well- drained soil. With its fresh lemony scent and flavour, it makes a good, zingy drink. Harvest the leaves any time for tea.
Feverfew
Feverfew is a deterrent to white butterflies and migraines. The leaves contain a chemical called parthenolide, thought to decrease factors in the body that might cause migraine headaches. English herbalist John Gerard declared in 1633 feverfew “is very good for them that are giddie in the head”.
The leaves, buds and petals of a number of different herbs and plants can be trimmed, dried and mixed together for tea blends that last for months — provided you don’t drink them all, that is. Bundle them and hang them upside down in a dim, airy place with good air circulation. To remove the leaves or flowers from the dried stems, strip them off or shake them into a paper bag and empty the bag into a jar. Leaves and seeds should be kept whole, to be crushed down when needed.