Herbal Teas from Your Garden

Brew Your Own Wellness

August 01, 2025

There’s nothing quite like sipping a soothing cup of herbal tea — and it’s even more satisfying when the ingredients come straight from your own garden. From perennial herbs to berries and blossoms, many plants are perfect for tea lovers looking to grow their own garden-to-cup experience.

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Why Grow Your Own?

  • Control the quality — no pesticides or unknown ingredients.
  • Harvest at peak freshness for maximum flavor and benefits.
  • Save money by skipping the store-bought bags.
  • Connect with nature through a calming and rewarding ritual.
  • Easy to grow in containers, raised beds, or tucked into ornamental gardens.
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Brewing Tips

Making a perfect cup of herbal tea is both an art and a science. These tips will help you extract the best flavour and benefits from your garden-grown ingredients:

  • Use fresh or dried plant material — leaves, petals, berries, or roots depending on the plant.
  • General steeping rule: Use 1–2 tsp of dried herbs (or 1 tbsp fresh) per cup of hot water.
  • Steeping time:
    -Delicate herbs (like chamomile, mint, or lemon balm): 5–7 minutes
    -Woody or root-based herbs (like rosemary or echinacea): 10–15 minutes
  • Water temperature:
    -Fresh herbs: ~190°F (just below boiling)
    -Dried herbs: 200–212°F (boiling)
  • Cover your tea while steeping to preserve essential oils and maximize therapeutic benefits.
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Natural Sweeteners

Skip the refined sugar and try one of these natural sweeteners to complement and enhance your cup:

Honey – A classic choice! Local honey not only adds rich, floral notes to your tea, but it may also help soothe sore throats and support immunity (especially if it’s raw and unfiltered).

Maple Syrup – Perfect for black teas or spicy blends like chai, maple syrup adds a warm, earthy sweetness with a true taste of Canada.

Stevia – A plant-based sweetener that’s calorie-free and great for anyone watching their sugar intake. You can grow your own stevia plant and dry the leaves for tea!

Fruits – Fresh or dried fruits like apples, berries, or citrus slices can naturally sweeten your tea while infusing extra flavour. Try steeping them right alongside your herbs!

🍎 Apples – Dried slices add mellow sweetness and pair well with cinnamon or chamomile

🍊 Oranges – Fresh or dried peels brighten tea with a zesty, citrus kick

🍒 Cherries – Sweet-tart and rich, especially good with hibiscus or black tea

🫐 Blueberries – Wild or cultivated, they add natural sweetness and colour

🍓 Strawberries – Fragrant and sweet, a great addition to mint or green tea blends

🍍 Pineapple – Tangy tropical flavour, excellent in iced teas

🍑 Peaches – Smooth, juicy sweetness that complements floral teas

🌹 Rosehips – Tart, vitamin-rich seedpods of wild roses that add a cranberry-like flavour

🍇 Elderberries – Slightly sweet and earthy, often used dried in immune-boosting blends

🍒 Saskatoon berries – Sweet and nutty, they add depth to herbal or rooibos teas

🍇 Haskaps – Tart-sweet and packed with antioxidants, great steeped alone or with herbs

🍓 Cranberries – Bright and tangy, lovely in wintery blends or with orange peel

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Want to Dry Your Own Herbs?

Preserving your garden’s bounty is easy — and incredibly satisfying. Drying herbs helps enhance their flavour, preserve their properties, and let you enjoy your garden year-round.

 

When to harvest:

-Morning is best — just after the dew has dried but before the sun gets too hot.

-Harvest right before the plant flowers for the most concentrated oils and flavour.

 

How to harvest:
-Use clean, sharp scissors or pruners.
-Snip above a leaf node to encourage regrowth.
-Avoid bruising leaves, which can affect flavour and potency.


Drying methods:
-Air dry: Tie small bundles and hang upside down in a warm, dark, well-ventilated area.
-Dehydrator: Use a low temperature (95–115°F) for faster results.
-Oven drying: Set to lowest temp and keep the door slightly open — watch closely to avoid scorching.


Storage tips:
-Once fully dried, store in airtight containers away from heat and light.
-Label with the date and plant name for easy use later on.


👉 For step-by-step instructions and more herb-drying tips, visit our blog: Drying Herbs at Home

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Know the Risks

•    Herbal teas can interact with medications  and some might not be safe during pregnancy — always check with a healthcare provider.
•    Monitor for any allergic reactions like rashes or nausea, and stop using if they occur.

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Perennial Herbs for Tea Gardens

These reliable herbs return each year in New Brunswick and are perfect for long-term wellness gardening.

•    Anise Hyssop
Flavour: Mild licorice, slightly sweet
Benefits: Calming, digestive aid, mild expectorant


•    Beebalm (Bergamot)
Flavour: Citrus-mint, slightly spicy
Benefits: Antibacterial, supports respiratory health


•    Lavender
Flavour: Floral, slightly bitter
Benefits: Promotes relaxation, sleep aid, anti-anxiety


•    Catnip
Flavour: Mild minty, grassy
Benefits: Calming, aids digestion, sleep aid


•    Echinacea (Coneflower)
Flavour: Earthy, slightly floral
Benefits: Immune support, especially at the onset of colds


•    Mint (Spearmint, Peppermint, etc.)
Flavour: Strong, cooling mint
Benefits: Aids digestion, eases headaches and congestion

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Annual & Tender Herbs for Tea

These herbs don’t survive New Brunswick winters but can be replanted each year — and many self-seed to return on their own.

•    Chamomile (German)
Flavour: Apple-like, sweet
Benefits: Promotes sleep, eases anxiety and stomach upset
Self-seeding: Readily


•    Borage
Flavour: Cucumber-like, light and fresh
Benefits: Mild anti-inflammatory, mood support
Self-seeding: Very easily


•    Calendula
Flavour: Slightly bitter, earthy
Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, supports digestion and skin health
Self-seeding: Readily


•    Cilantro (Coriander)
Flavour: Citrus-like and peppery (leaves); warm/spicy (seeds)
Benefits: Digestive aid, antioxidant
Self-seeding: Yes, if allowed to bolt


•    Holy Basil (Tulsi)
Flavour: Clove-like, warm, spicy-sweet
Benefits: Stress relief, adaptogenic, supports immunity
Self-seeding: May reseed


•    Lemon Balm
Flavour: Bright lemony, minty
Benefits: Calming, antiviral, supports sleep
Self-seeding: Yes


•    Rosemary
Flavour: Sharp, piney, woodsy
Benefits: Improves circulation, supports memory and focus
Self-seeding: No

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Trees, Shrubs & Berry Plants for Tea

Add deeper flavours and nutritional value with these larger plants.

•    Elderberry
Flavour: Delicate floral (flowers); rich and tart (berries – must be cooked)
Benefits: Immune support, antiviral properties
•    Mulberry
Flavour: Mild, green tea-like (leaves); sweet and rich (berries)
Benefits: Blood sugar support, antioxidant-rich
•    Sea Buckthorn
Flavour: Tart, citrusy berries
Benefits: High in vitamin C, supports skin and immunity
•    Barberry
Flavour: Sharp, tart berries
Benefits: Antioxidant, digestive aid
•    Chokeberry (Aronia)
Flavour: Tart and dry; often blended
Benefits: Exceptionally high in antioxidants
•    Raspberry Leaves
Flavour: Mild, earthy, tannic
Benefits: Supports reproductive health, especially in women
•    Rose Petals & Hips
Flavour: Floral (petals); sweet and tangy (hips)
Benefits: Rich in vitamin C, calming, supports skin health

•    Gogi Berry

Flavour: Sweet and sour similar to a  sour cherry

Benefit: Full of antioxidants, Vitamin C and A, Iron, Potassium and fibre

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Growing your own herbal tea garden connects you with your plants in the most meaningful way — through taste, tradition, and the daily ritual of tea. Whether you're planting a small pot on the patio or dedicating a full garden bed, there's a tea-worthy plant for every space and every sip.


Visit us at Scott’s Nursery for more tea garden inspiration and advice on growing your own delicious, healing blends!

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