Thursday, February 21, 2008

A "growing" passion for tea


I should probably warn you that I am getting into "gardening mode," and with Spring not far away, it's a good time to start thinking about growing my own herbs, especially those that can be used in cooking and for making tea.

These pots aren't that deep so the plants in them are probably more for inspiration than anything else at this point, but I've got some mint, lavender and lemon verbena in them at the moment. And aren't these teacup and teapot pots the cutest things you've ever seen? They're from England and were a birthday gift from a green thumbed friend a few years back, one of the most perfect gifts ever.

Are any of you gardeners? Do you grow your own herbs for tea? If so, what do you recommend? Inquiring gardener minds want to know!

6 comments:

  1. Yes, I do some gardening. I love taking rose petals (pesticide free) and I dry them on paper towels a few days and add them to sugar. Let them stay in the container for at least a week to flavor the sugar. It makes a delightful taste for teas. It also is a fantastic sugar to use to make frosting for sugar cookies. I use it in place of powdered sugar, add a drop of red food coloring to make the frosting a pale pink. I use the cookies for teas, bridal showers etc. for my catering. The great thing is that every type of rose has a different flavor too.
    I also like to grow and use lavender & fresh mint but be careful it grows like a weed and will cover your garden unless it is contained.

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  2. Those pots are too cute-love em! Not much of a gardener YET, but i had a friend who used rosemary as a healing tea and i think it is fairly hardy and easy to grow. Got some here at our new place if ya want to come get some and try it ;^), come on by. I know more of savory herbs, but i look forward to hearin more about those used for tea. tammyp

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  3. Oh my goodness! I love these!!!

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  4. What a cute idea...I wish I knew more about growing indoor herbs.

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  5. Morning!
    For your tea garden, I would certainly suggest any of the mints - peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint - but be cautious where you plant them. They can overun a garden! Best to put them in containers, event in containers in the ground to help control, otherwise they will overtake your garden. In addition, I might suggest lemon balm (also will overrun the garden) or even lemon verbena (my fav) if you want to add a delicious lemon touch to your teas or event tea breads. I love adding freshly snipped lemon balm, lemon verbena and zested lemon to a pound cake type recipe. Yum - perfect for afternoon tea. Rosemary can be difficult to grow, unless you are in a mild climate with lots of sunny days. It is finicky in colder climates and will sadly drop all its leaves if you look at it funny one day. I've added rosemary and lemon verbena to cookies and shortbread recipes for a nice touch, together or seperate. Lavendar is nice, and the blossoms have been added to black teas for a fun flavor. Herbs are such a fabulous addition to teas and tea party foods. They go hand in hand! Nancy
    www.therosemaryhouse.blogspot.com

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