Planning an Herbal Tea Garden Any Suggestions?

[karanleaf]

Yes Feverfew is a nice plant.

I have a couple of apple trees Red Delicious and a Fugi along with some concord grapes any suggestions on how to use these also?

Thnaks so much I am so pumped up to get this going

:happy_flower Karan

 

[vfem]

Now you know you need to plant these around a little table with chairs you have to keep a tea set on so everyone knows whats going on!

So get to building.

 

[karanleaf]

Now you know you need to plant these around a little table with chairs you have to keep a tea set on so everyone knows whats going on!

So get to building.

That is a wonderful Idea to set at the garden center or edge. Thanks

Oh Yes and get the pond together for my little boy on a turtle water fountain/bird bath. Now will that :bee honey, sugar,and or cream ??

Oh I gota get my paper and colored pencils out.

:happy_flower Karan

 

[digitS']

What I found was that the Korean mint was very similar to anise hyssop (licorice mint).

I didn't like the fennel leaves in tea. It reseeded itself the next year but I didn't have any the year following and didn't miss it. I think the seeds may have made an okay tea but didn't try that the first year and it didn't have time to mature a crop in 'o8 without that head start in the greenhouse.

Wild bergamot is one strange-smelling plant. I understand that it is commonly found in some areas of the country. The flowers are used in teas and I can't see the value of trying the leaves, for my tastes. However, it never bloomed. The plants survived our Winter and I was hoping to see a flower the next year but, once again, it didn't bloom. The plants didn't survive a 2nd Winter.

Below is a picture of one of my Lemon Verbena plants. It needs to spend the Winter on the floor of the unheated greenhouse covered with a quilt on the coldest nights. That's pretty darn tuff on it but only a few of the plants fail to survive the last 3 years that I've done this.

I rinsed and froze the lemon verbena last year but had everything else dried. I think I'm going with the rinse & freeze from here on out. All this, makes for a nice cup of something hot and fragrant along about Christmas-time.

Steve

 

[vfem]

Wild bergamot is one strange-smelling plant. I understand that it is commonly found in some areas of the country. The flowers are used in teas and I can't see the value of trying the leaves, for my tastes. However, it never bloomed. The plants survived our Winter and I was hoping to see a flower the next year but, once again, it didn't bloom. The plants didn't survive a 2nd Winter.

I love bergamont! I put it in bathes and I mix it with orange flavors in teas.

And the big kicker.... I put some I bought powdered.... I put it in my husband's shoes to get the sweaty stink out.

It's really GOOD stuff!

(Body Shop sells a whole line with the natural oils from it.)

 

[digitS']

I believe you, Vfem!

There's bergamot and then there's bergamot. The one used in Earl Grey tea is a citrus . . . from a tree. The herb, wild bergamot is a Monarda in the mint family.
Some folks have raved about tea from the herb . . . ? But, they are using the flowers . You may be able to find it growing wild in your part of the world.

Steve

 

[obsessed]

How about some chicory? For when you need energizing tea...

 

[karanleaf]

Sorry Gang Our DSL at home is down, the phone company has a tech coming out today to trace down the trouble. We had phone noise and after they got it cleared then our DSL was lost. Soo who knows

Any way we kept very buzy potting plants, painting picnic tables, and hauling mulching, laying it around our raised beds and DH and i talked about where to put the Herbal Tea raised bed. And I got my elder berry plant too

I had never tought of Chicory for tea we have plenty of it growing wild here the Ducks love the flowers.

Nice idea of the freeze and use Steve. I hadn't decided if I hang and dry or use the dehydror ? I may try some freezing too

I have never tried bergamont do you use the leaves or blooms or both?

Thanks so much you all are being such a great help

:happy_flower Karan

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi karen, :happy_flower

You must be busy getting ready for your greenhouse opening. Sorry I haven't replied to your PM but the system "ATE" my answer when I couldn't send it 'cos your box was full.....!!! So now I have to remember what I said --it was a long PM too.

Meanwhile look up www.jekkasherbfarm.com It's a UK site. She is an expert here on herbs & has written a lot of articles & books She also sells herbs for teas & the site is just packed with info on herbs of all kinds so it's worth using it for that, even if you can't order from her!

I have just put in a fairly sizable order to replace things I have lost over the years. I want to put them in the rocky area near my pond, so that the statues I moved there a few weeks ago are standing amongst them. I thought it would be a pretty picture. I've ordered Corsican mint (do you know it) & lemon verbena -- neither of them are really hardy here so I think I shall put them in a clay pot which I will sink into the earth. Then I can dig the pot up in the fall & put it under cover somewhere a bit warmer. Both love full sun in summer! The Corsican mint is amazing stuff -- I first came across it when on holidaying in Corsica -- I was staying with a bunch of hippyish friends from Germany in a villa we had rented for the summer ---are, my misspent youth....!!! I cooked with it while I was there as well as drying some to bring back with me to England. The smell was still pungent 5 years later. Then when I first had a garden in London I tracked some down & started to grow it but would loose it every winter. It is the smallest mint, you would not recognise it as it looks like"baby's tears".

Hope all is going well for your opening --fingers crossed for you & your husband. You both have worked so hard on this project. I have seen those photos of your wonderful tunnel greenhouse -- it's amazing & my idea of heaven

GOOD LUCK TO THE TWO OF YOU :rainbow-sun :coolsun

Happy gardening to everyone :tools

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[karanleaf]

Thanks Hattie I will check out the site.

AT&T has been at our home we still have no DSL. they traced all the lines we have no DSL signal changed the modem box still nothing. so the tech believes as DH thought all along that someone has done something as they have been adding more underground lines in our area.

I have started a list of plants I am consindering to place in this garden. I may have to plan an over flow bed as well :watering

:happy_flower Karan

edited : Your are so right Hattie that is a very informative site thank you very much.

:happy_flower