Growing an Herbal Tea Garden: 5 Easy-to-Grow Plants You’ll Actually Use
If you’ve ever sipped a cup of herbal tea and wondered if you could grow the ingredients yourself—the answer is yes. You don’t need a massive garden or years of experience to get started. In fact, just a few thoughtfully chosen herbs can provide enough for tea all season long (and even into the winter). Whether you’re working with raised beds, a sunny corner of your garden, or even containers on a porch, this post will help you start an herbal tea garden with five beginner-friendly plants you’ll actually use—and love.
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Why Grow Your Own Tea Herbs?
• Freshness: Homegrown herbs are more aromatic and flavorful than store-bought teas
• Cost-effective: A handful of plants can supply months of tea for pennies
• Satisfying: There’s something sacred about sipping something you grew, harvested, and dried with your own hands
• Custom blends: Once you have a few herbs, you can create your own signature blends tailored to your needs
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5 Easy-to-Grow Herbs for Your Tea Garden
1. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Flavor: Soft, lemony, calming
Benefits: Nervine; helps with anxiety, sleep, and digestion
Growing tips:
Perennial in most zones (but can spread—contain if needed)
Grows well in full sun to part shade
Harvest before flowering for best flavor
2. Peppermint or Spearmint (Mentha spp.)
Flavor: Fresh, cooling, bright
Benefits: Soothes digestion, energizing yet calming
Growing tips:
Extremely easy but aggressive—keep in a pot or separate bed
Prefers moist soil and full sun
Cut often to encourage bushy growth
3. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla or Chamaemelum nobile)
Flavor: Mildly sweet and apple-like
Benefits: Calming, anti-inflammatory, gentle for children
Growing tips:
German chamomile is the annual; Roman is a low-growing perennial
Prefers full sun and well-drained soil
Harvest the flowers just as they fully open
4. Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Flavor: Mild, slightly earthy, bright in blends
Benefits: Lymphatic support, skin-soothing, anti-inflammatory
Growing tips:
Easy to grow from seed; deadhead regularly for more blooms
Grows in poor soil and full sun
Harvest petals for tea or whole flowers for infusions
5. Holy Basil (Tulsi) (Ocimum sanctum)
Flavor: Sweet, spicy, slightly clove-like
Benefits: Adaptogen; supports stress response, clarity, and immunity
Growing tips:
Grows like regular basil; loves heat and sun
Pinch back often for bushy growth
Harvest leaves before flowering for best potency
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Bonus Herbs to Add Later
Oatstraw – for nervous system support
Rose petals – uplifting and beautiful in blends
Anise hyssop – licorice-mint flavor, supports digestion and mood
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How to Harvest and Dry Your Tea Herbs
Harvest in mid-morning, after the dew dries but before the sun is too hot
Choose clean, healthy leaves or flowers
Dry in small bundles or mesh trays in a shaded, well-ventilated space
Store in airtight jars away from light and heat
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Simple Blend Ideas to Try
Calm & Bright: lemon balm + chamomile + calendula
Cooling Digestive: peppermint + tulsi + rose petals
Sleepy Garden: chamomile + lemon balm + oatstraw
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Final Thoughts: Start Small and Sip Often
You don’t have to grow everything to enjoy herbal tea from your garden. Even one or two herbs can make a meaningful difference in your daily rhythm. My advice? Start with what draws you in. Grow what you’ll actually drink. And let your tea garden become a place of both nourishment and peace.
If you’re looking for teas that you don’t have to grow yourself, check out our organic and wildcrafted tea blends in the shop here.
If you'd like to learn more about growing your own apothecary, grab my free guide here.