A Favorite Tea?

digitS'

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You have that "native plant" orientation, Punkin. There's nothing wrong with that.

You may want to check on other agastaches, if'n you are interested.

Here's a list from Southwestern Seeds. I have to say that I don't know anything about this seed company and I realize that Arizona isn't eastern Texas.

Here are some webpages of an herb gardener in Austin. Click on "Licorice Lovelies" to see some choices.

Steve
 

ducks4you

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Great thread! I don't know why "comfort FOOD" gets so much "press." I think "comfort Drinks" deserve more credit, don't you? DD's and I drink gallons of orange pekoe/Constant Comment (brand) ice tea--DH drinks de-caf orange pekoe. I wish I liked Earl Grey-smells like cologne to me, but I just can't drink it.

I, too LUVS MY COFFEE first thing in the morning.
 

PunkinPeep

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digitS' said:
You have that "native plant" orientation, Punkin. There's nothing wrong with that.

You may want to check on other agastaches, if'n you are interested.

Here's a list from Southwestern Seeds. I have to say that I don't know anything about this seed company and I realize that Arizona isn't eastern Texas.

Here are some webpages of an herb gardener in Austin. Click on "Licorice Lovelies" to see some choices.

Steve
Though i do focus on native plants, i have no problem growing non-native plants in my garden. At the same time, i am not deceived enough to believe that i have the skill, knowledge, or instinct to give life to a cold-loving plant here in my hot humid woods. ;)

So far, my most successful on-purpose plant is the pothos on my window sill. :rolleyes: And a couple of gerber daisies who have defied the odds and continue to live in my 4x4 garden plot. One was actually about to begin blooming again before we had our cold 24 hours, and it was frozen. :(

So it's not so much a stance against non-native plants as it is a desire to plant things that might actually see success under my care. :rainbow-sun
 

Broke Down Ranch

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I enjoy echinacea combined with another medicinal that has elder flower, linden flower, chamomile, and peppermint. The combination is to die for right before bed and helps me sleep. I also enjoy Raspberry Zinger, Country Peach, and Sleepytime from Celestial Seasonings.


I want to start an herbal garden just for my little luxuries as well as medicinal purposes....
 

simple life

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I love having an herb garden. It so nice to be able to go out and pick fresh herbs for tea.
I have one area that is mostly for cooking and then I have what I call my "tea garden" all those herbs are for my teas.
The best thing about herbs is they just take right off and do their thing, so easy to grow.
One of my favorites this year was pineapple sage, I put it in ice tea and lemonade.
I grow the hyssops too, it gets quite tall and its one of my favorites.
I haven't used it for anything other than bringing some in and rubbing it down and breaking it up for potpourri though.
 

herbfan1

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You are right about tea drinkers get no respect in restaurants.
 

digitS'

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One thing that I discovered by "growing my own" is that herbs have different flavors depending on whether they are fresh or dried. With some, careful drying adds a good deal to the pleasantness of the taste. Probably for any herb, some flavor is lost in drying but . . .

Freezing is something new for me. My lemon verbena is just rinsed well, put into a large freezer bag, and tossed into the freezer compartment :p. This is an herb that is delicious fresh or dried - add frozen!

Catnip is better dried than fresh altho' it isn't bad either way ;), at least, as my taste goes. I will need to try both preserving techniques next year and see whether freezing is a good choice.

I'd be very interested in learning what others have found with regards to freezing and flavor . . . ? One thing about it, if you go 1 way - you can't turn around and go the other. Freezing dried stuff will likely make zero difference and trying to dry frozen stuff will result in black mush :sick !

Steve
 

journey11

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I know you can freeze herbs, but I never do it. Not sure why...fear of freezer burn maybe! I just dry mine slowly, hung or in paper bags in a cool, dark place. I would think freezing would be especially well suited to cooking herbs though.
 
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