HOMEGROWNTEA

AnIllustratedGuidetoPlanting,Harvesting,and

BlendingTeasandTisanes

CASSIELIVERSIDGE

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To

PETER,

GEORGE,

and

THOMAS

Contents

CopyrightNotice

Introduction

LEAVESTheTeaPlantWhiteTeaGreenTeaBlackTeaAniseHyssopBergamotCardamomHyssopLemonBalmLemongrassLemonVerbenaManukaMint:Gingermint,Strawberrymint,Lavendermint,Spearmint,Blackpeppermint,andGardenMintMountainPepperNewJerseyTeaRaspberryRosemarySage:TangerineSageandPineappleSageScentedPelargonium/ScentedGeraniumSteviaSweetTeaVineThyme:LemonCurd,VariegatedLemon,andOrangeTulsi/HolyBasil

SEEDSCilantro/CorianderFennelFenugreek

FRUITSBlueberryLemonMyrtleRosehipStrawberry

FLOWERSCalendulaChamomile:RomanChamomileandGermanChamomileHoneysuckleJasmineLavenderRoseSaffronViolet

ROOTSAngelicaChicoryEchinaceaGingerLicorice

FurtherPlantAdviceFurtherTeaAdviceQuickPlantReferenceChartIndexofPlantsRecommendedSourcesAcknowledgments

AlsobyCassieLiversidgeCopyright

Introduction

HomegrownTea is a gardening book for tea lovers. It explains how togrowalargevarietyofplantsfromwhichyoucanmaketeasandtisanes.Your owngarden, balcony, or evenwindowsill couldbecomeyour teacupboard.

TeasandTisanes

Tea has been grown in China for thousands of years, and all “tea”—white,green,oolong,orblack—ismadefromoneplant,Camelliasinensis.It is through methods of growing, harvesting, and processing thatdifferent-tasting teas are created.TheChineseheld amonopoly on teaproduction for hundreds of years, but in the early ninth century,Buddhist monks travelled from Japan to China and brought back teaseeds,introducingteagrowingtoJapan.TheDutchwerethefirsttradersto import the drink to Europe and America. They traded through theportofAmoyinChina,wherethelocalscalledthisplantte,pronounced“tay.”Thiswasusedandthentranslatedintootherlanguagesas“tea”inEnglish, or “Tee” in German. The Mandarin word cha was usedthroughoutPersia,Russia,India,andJapan.TheexpansionofcommercialteagrowingoutsideofChinastartedin

the1840swithRobertFortune,aBritishbotanist.HewentundercoverasateamerchantinChinatogainvitalknowledgeofhowtogrowtea.Hebrought thousandsof teaplants and skilledChinese teaworkers toBritish-ruled India.Tea isnowgrowncommerciallyallover theworld,includingintheUnitedStates(SouthCarolina),Brazil,Ecuador,Turkey,The Azores, Argentina, and even England (Cornwall). Tea has beenresponsibleforsomemajoreventsinworldhistory,includingtheOpiumWarsinChinaandtheBostonTeaParty,akeymomentoftheAmericanRevolution.Many other plants can be brewed just like tea leaves. Infusions of

plantsotherthantheteaplantshouldbecalledtisanes.Forme,thewordtisanedoesnotconjureupthesamesenseofoccasionandreverenceasthewordteadoes,butIenjoydrinkingtisanesasmuchastea.Icallalltheinfusionsinthisbookteastodenotetheirimportanceasoneoflife’severydaypleasures,whichIvaluegreatly.

TopTipstoBrewtheBestCupofTea

For all of the plants in this book, I give a recommended quantity forbrewing one cup of tea.However,we all have different tastes, so feelfree to increase or decrease the amount to suit your own. If you aremakingteainateapotformorethanoneperson,increasethequantityofteaaccordingly.Youwillneedtouseateastrainertocatchtheleaveswhenyoupourthetea.Thestrainedleavescanthenbetippedbackintothepotandusedagain.Homemadeteaswilloftenhaveapalecolor,buttheflavorcanstillbestrong.

TEAPOTS

Allhigh-qualityteashaveacertainteapotbelievedtobemostsuitedtotheirflavor.TheYixingteapotisatinyunglazedclayteapotthatissaidtoenhancetheflavorofoolongtea.Usingateapotisawonderfulwaytoshare a tea but itmust be used correctly or the flavor of the teawillspoil.Ifyouareusingateapot,youneedtomakesurethat itcontainsthe

rightamountofwaterforthenumberofcupsyoudesire.Thecommonmistake,becausewehavesuchbigteapots,istofillthemtothetop.Theteaispouredforafirstcupbutthenthetealeavesareleftsittingintheremaining water for some time. The taste of the next cup will havedeteriorateddramatically,anditcanbecomeverybitter.Thebestwaytoensuretherightamountofwatergoesintoyourteapotistousethecupyouwill be drinking out of as ameasure, according to the number ofcupsofteayouareservinginonego(2cupmeasurefor2cupsoftea).Pourthefreshboiledwater(176°F/80°C)intoyourcupandthenpourintotheteapotcontainingthetealeaves.Thenafterafewminutesyoucanservethetea,usingateastrainerandallofthewaterwillbepouredout of the teapot. The leaves will then sit in the teapot ready to bebrewedagain.Youwillgettoknowthecorrectquantityofwatertousemoreintuitivelyafterawhile.Alternatively,buyatinyteapot!

TEABAGS

Ihaverecommendedbrewingmostoftheteasinteabags,asitiseasiertogivethecorrectquantitiesofteaneededforonepersonandtheyareagreatway to contain the plant so that you don’t get bits in your tea.Thereareotherteainfusersonthemarketyoucanuseasanalternativeoryoucansimplyusetheplantlooseinateapot.Teabagshaveabadreputation as they are often filled with poor quality tea and higherqualityteasarealwayssoldasloose-leaf.Thekeytomakingawonderfulcupof tea in a teabag is giving the leaves room tomovearoundandproperly infuse thewater.Usingyourown teabagsalsoallowsyou toreusethebagtobrewsubsequentcups.Theflavorofasecond,third,andevenfourthcupofteaisoftensuperiortothefirstcup,evenifthesamebagisusedoverafewdays.All theplantshavegreatcapacitytokeepexudingflavor.Tea bags were first developed by accident in 1908 by Thomas

Sullivan, a New York tea dealer. His wife made small silk bags as ameansofsendingsamplesofteaaroundtheworld.Whentheteaarrived,peoplethoughttheteawassupposedtobebrewedinthebags,andtheteabagwasborn.Theirpopularityhasgrownever since.Teabagsarefilledbymachine,andtheteaneedstobeveryfinelychoppedinordertobeabletobepackedintothesetinybags.Forthemassproductionofblackteaforteabags,asystemofCTC—crush,tear,curl—isused.Thisspeedsup theoxidationprocess and creates tea that is small so it caneasily be packed. This is a very harsh process that gives a strong richtaste,butthetealosesallsubtletyanddepthofflavor.

WATER

Anotherkey tomaking thebest tea is toalwaysuse freshwater to fillyourkettle.Itcontainsmoreoxygen,whichwillgiveagreaterflavortothe tea. The temperature of the water is also important. You shouldneverpourboilingwateronyourteas,asthisdestroysalotoftheflavor.Ideally, youwant thewater to be 176°F (80 to 85°C). To achieve thiswithoutneedingtouseathermometereverytime,boilthekettleusingfresh water and wait for two minutes once it has been switched offbefore pouring thewater onto your tea bag. I refer to this as “boiledwater”throughoutthebook.Youcanusethewaterimmediatelyafterithasboiledtowarmyourteacuporteapot.Warmingthevesselsimprovestheflavorof thetea.Manyteaconnoisseurswakeupthetea leavesbygiving them a rinse in the first-boiled (176°F/80°C) water andimmediatelypouringthatwateraway.Thentheleavesarewetandthefirstinfusionisbelievedtotastebetter.Doemploythistechniquewhenyouhave timebut I like to reuse the tea leavesanddrinkeachcup toappreciatethevariationsinflavor.Ifyouareusingthehardrootortherhizomeofaplantinsteadofthe

leaves or seeds, you often need to make a decoction rather than aninfusion.A decoction is amethod of brewing your tisane in a pan, sothat the root can be simmered for some time. The hard root then hastimetosoften.Thisallowsthemedicinalpropertiesandflavortocomeoutoftheroot.

MedicinalBenefitsofTea

Tea was originally taken as a medicinal drink in China thousands ofyears ago. Other herbal plants have been taken as infusions for evenlonger.Thereisrenewedinterestindrinkingteaforhealthreasonsandinunderstandingmoreaboutthemedicinalbenefitsofplantsingeneral.Someof theplants in this bookhave “officinalis” in their names.Thisshowsthattheplantwasrecognizedas“official”and“useful”andthatitcouldbesoldinanapothecaryshop.Itisgenerallybesttoharvestplantsfirstthinginthemorning,before

thesunandwindhavehadachancetoreducethelevelsofmedicinallybeneficialoils.Ihavegiventhemedicinalbenefitsofeachplantforgeneralinterest,

but this should not be taken asmedical advice.Always use herbs andplantswith caution and consume inmoderation.Always use the Latinname when buying a plant, as it is vital that plants are correctlyidentified.Ifyouareunsureofaplant,donotconsumeitinanyform.

FurtherAdvice

There is a section at the back of the book with extra gardening andgrowingadvice.Refertoitasneeded.Thereisalsoadviceonhowtodryyourplantsforteaandhowtomakesunteas.

LEAVES

TheTeaPlant

Camelliasinensis

There arehundredsof species of camelliaplants, grown in gardens allovertheworldfortheirbeautifulflowersanddarkgreenglossyfoliage.Onlyonespeciesofcamellia isused tomaketea,however,andthat is

Camelliasinensis.Alltea—white,green,oolong,andblack—ismadefromthisplant.The tea plant is native to the highmountain ranges of the YunnanprovinceinsouthernChina;sinensisactuallymeans“fromChina.”Thereare two main varieties from which tea is made, Camellia sinensis var.sinensisandCamelliasinensisvar.assamica.Camelliasinensisvar.sinensis(whichIrefertoassimplysinensisinthisbook)hassmallergreenleavesthanassamica,anditisastronghardyplant.Thisplantisbestsuitedtothe growing conditions in China and Japan. In 1823, Major RobertBruce, who was working for the East India Company at the time,discoveredCamellia sinensis var. assamica in Assam, in northern India.Assamica is grown predominantly in India, Africa, and Sri Lanka.Hundreds of hybrids and cultivars of these two varieties have beendevelopedovertheyears.Growing tea is as complex as growing grapes in a vineyard. Theclimate and soil directly influence the distinct flavor of the tea. Eachcountry, each region, and even each producer will have their owndistinctmethodsofgrowingandprocessingtealeaves.Theworldofteaisvastandthevariationsproducedaremany.Eventeaproducedonthesame plantation over the course of one year can have large seasonalflavor differences. By growing your own tea, you will have theopportunity to experience your own homegrown tea flavor. In thischapter, I give a general and simplified introduction to the maindifferences between themethods of producingwhite, green, andblacktea. I have created away to process your own tea at home, based oninformationofhowteaisprocessedallovertheworld.Youwillbeusingtiny quantities of leaf and processing byhand, so themethod and theresults will be very different from tea grown and processedcommercially.Evenso,Ihopeitwillgiveyouaninsightintotheworldof tea and help you to understand the tremendous experience andexpertiseteaproducershave.

ToGrow

Camelliasinensis loves togrowathighaltitudes,wheremistymorningsandeveningsallowtheplanttoabsorbalotofmoisture.Theylikethewarmth and light of the sun during the day. If you don’t live at highaltitude, do not fear—you can still grow camellias. Try to plant yourcamelliainasunnyorpartlyshadedlocationandmakesurethatithasplentyofwater—preferablyrainwater—especially ifyouaregrowing itinacontainer.

Itisveryslowtogrowteafromseeds.Theytakefourtofiveweekstogerminate,soIrecommendyoubuyoneortwoplantstostartwith.Teaplantsarelargeenoughtobeharvestedfromwhentheyarethreeorfouryearsold,sotrytogetasmatureaplantaspossible.Thesinensisvarietyisslowergrowingthanassamica,andtheleavesproducealightertaste,but it ishardier andmore resilient to frosts.Teaplants arenotgrownwidely soyouwillprobablynotget a choice inwhich teavarietyyoucanbuy.Ihavelistedafewsuppliersinthebackofthisbook.

Youcangrowyourcamelliainthegroundorinacontainer.Itneedswell-drained,acidicsoilwithapHof5orless.Ifyoursoilisnotacidic,you canmix in leafmold, bark, ormushroom compost. If your soil isveryalkaline, itmightbeeasier togrowcamellias inaraisedbedoracontainer.Youmayneedtorepotyourcamelliaeveryoneortwoyears,orwhenyoufirstbuyitiftherootsarepotbound.Chooseacontainerlarger than theexistingpotandmake sure ithasgooddrainageholes.Mix perlite (naturally occurring volcanic rock) or fine grit intoericaceoussoiloracidiccompostthatisspeciallyformulatedcompostforacid loving plants. (More information about repotting). They like awarm, sunny, or partly shaded location. They do not like direct heatoveraprolongedtime,suchasnexttoasouth-facingwall,soifyouliveinawarmclimate,plantyourcamelliawhereitwillhavesunforpartofthedayandthenshade.Mulcharoundyourplantwithbarktoadepthofabout1inch(2to3cm).Camelliasinensiscantoleratecoldandfrostto 14°F (-10°C). If the plant is potted, however, the roots are morevulnerabletocold,especiallyiftheyarewet,soyoumayneedtoprotectthemwithfleece.Fleece isapolypropylenefabric throughwhich light,air,andraincanpass,unlikeotherfabrics.Youcancreateaframeworkofcanesaroundtheplantandusepegstoattachthefleece,makingsurethe ground immediately around the plant is also covered. Or you cansimply lay the fleeceover theplant (andpot if its inone) so that it istotally covered, removing it if the temperature iswarmenoughduringtheday.Itcreatesawarmpocketofairaroundtheplanttohelpprotectthe leavesandroots fromanydropintemperature.Themore layersoffleece used, the greater the frost protection. Ask your supplier to giveyouspecificadviceonhowmanylayerstouseforyourlocation.Onteaplantations,camelliasareprunedtoabout3feet(1meter)highso the new shoots grow at hand height. This is called the “pluckingtable,”andyoucandothesameinyourowngardenifyouhaveenoughplantsandspace.Thispruningpromotesnewshootstogrow.Thesefreshyoung leaves are referred to as the “flush.”When the flush of growthappearsinthespring,youwillbeabletoharvestyourtea.Thelengthofthe growing season depends on the amount of sunlight the plantsreceive. If the camellia’s exposure to sunlight is shortened to less thaneleven hours, it will become dormant and will not produce any newshootsuntilmoredaylight isavailable.Thismaymeanthat fewernew

leavesareproducedover thecourseof theyear,but thequalityof theteaproducedaftertheplanthasbeendormantisexcellent.Camelliasinensisproducesbeautifulwhite,intenselyfragrantflowersinthe fall.Forawonderfulvariationof teaharvest these flowersandusethem,freshordried,inadditiontotheleaves.Feed the plants a nitrogen-rich feed, such as liquid seaweed,homemade nettle fertilizer, orworm tea, in the early spring and thenagain in May or June. (For more on fertilizer, see here). It will takeabout fiveyears togrowaplantofa sufficient size toproduce regularharvests.Youcantakecuttingsofyourcamelliasinthelatesummer.

ToTakeCuttings

Cuttings shouldbe taken fromadeveloped leaf that isgrowing fromagreenstem.

1. Fill apotwith amixof50percenthorticultural silver sandand50percentericaceouscompostoracidicsoil.Givethepotfivetapsonaflatsurfacetofillanyairpocketswithinthesoil.Makesurethepotisfullofsoiltotheverytop,addingmoreifnecessary.

3. Cut the stem about ½ inch (1 cm) above the leaf, and about 1½inches(4cm)ofstembelowtheleafjoint(node).Useasharpknifeandcutatanangle.

Usingatoothpick,makeaholeinthesoilabout½inch(1cm)deep.

4.Hold the cutting at the node and insert it into the hole in the soil.Pushdownuntilyour fingertips touch the soil.Makesure the leafstalkdoesnottouchthesoil.

5. The cutting should be planted so the leaf is almost vertical, so thatovertimeitwillnottouchthesoil,asthiscouldcauseittorot.Compactthesoiltightlyaroundthebaseofthecutting.Lightlywaterthecutting.

6.Placeaplasticbagoverthetopofthepot,supportedontheoutsideby small canes or sticks—the bag should not touch the leaf. Secure itwitharubberbandaroundtheedgeof thepot.Onceyoucanseenewgrowthdevelopingyoucanremovethebag.

Keepthepottedcuttingsomewherewarmandoutofdirectsunlight.

TIPS

Deerlovetoeatteaplants,soprotectyourplantswithwirenettingifyouliveinanareawheredeerarecommon.

WHITETEA

Camelliasinensis

White tea, also calledbud tea, ismadewith the soft,hairy tipsof theCamelliasinensisplant.Thereisonlyonebudoneachstem,anditmustbeharvestedwhileitisstilltightlytwisted.Thenewbudsarepalegraywith silvery white hairs, hence the name “white tea.” These preciousthin buds are plucked carefully by hand to keep asmany silver hairsattached as possible. The newest growth is the sweetest and subtlesttastingofall the teas.Thismayexplainwhywhite teasare soreveredandcanbesoexpensive.Famous white teas include Yin Zhen or Silver Needles from Fujian

Province,China.Regionalvariationsinhumidity,temperature,andsoilconditionsaresomeofthefactorsthatcontributetothedifferingtastesofteas,sodonotexpecttoachievethelevelanddepthofflavorofwhiteteaaswhatisgrownandproducedbyteamastersinidealteaclimates.Youwillbeable toproduceyourownunique-tastingwhite tea,whichwillbemild,butsweetanddelicious.

MedicinalBenefits

Whiteteaisantibacterialandhashighlevelsofantioxidants.Itisalsoastimulant,anditpromotesarelaxedbodyandmindandcanhelpwithconcentration.Itisoneofthemostrefreshingofallteas.

ToHarvest

PLUCK

Thepalegray,hairy leafbudswillonlyappear fora short timeat thestartofeachgrowingseasonsobesure tokeepaneyeonyourplants.Pluckthenewleafbudsoffwhiletheyaretightlybound.

WITHER

Spreadthebudsoutonatrayorafinemeshandleavethemsomewherewarmandwellventilatedforafewhourstolightlywitherthem.

DRY

Place the buds in a dehydrator or a very low-temperature oven toremovetheremainingmoisture.Dryingwillnottakelong,somakesureyou do not overdry the buds. The buds should be moved aboutthroughoutdryingsothattheydryevenly.Toavoidoverdrying,Isetmyovento122°F(50°C),andwhenitisuptotemperatureIturnitoffandthenputthebudsintodryforabout20minutes,movingthemaroundeveryfiveminutes.(Formoreondrying,seehere).

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteapotorteacuptowarmitup.Discardthewater.Puttwoorthreepinchesofbuds (ormore fora stronger flavor) intoa teabagorintothewarmedteapot.Pourthewater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoveritwithalid.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removethelidandtheteabag,orpouryourtea from the teapot using a tea strainer. You should have a very paleyellowtea.This isasubtle, sweet,anddelicious tea—oneforaspecialoccasion.Besuretousethebudsagainforsubsequentcups.

TeaBagFriends

Don’tsharetheseprecioustipswithanyone!

TIPS

Yellowteaisinbetweenwhiteandgreenteaintermsofflavorandtheamountofprocessingitreceives.Aswithwhitetea,onlythebudisused.Afterheating,thewarmbudsarecoveredwithaclothandallowedtoslightlyoxidize.Oxidationisachemicalreactionthatoccurswithinthecompoundsintheleaf.Thebudsturnyellow,hencethenameyellowtea.Sucharefinedprocessmeanstheseareveryrareteas,sodotrysomeataspecialistteahouseifyouhavetheopportunity.

GREENTEA

Camelliasinensis

Thousands of years ago in China, green teawas taken as amedicinaldrink. It was the tea of choice in Britain until the middle of theeighteenth century, and it is still the most popular tea in China andJapan.It isenjoyedfor itsmedicinalpropertiesandforthestimulatingeffectithasonthebody.Tomakegreentea,camellialeavesareheatedbeforetheycanoxidize,

so they retain their wonderful fresh green color and high levels ofantioxidants. After this, there is a variety of ways to process the teafurther.Buddhistmonksdevelopedacomplexgrindingprocesstomakea powdered green tea known as matcha. In Japan there is a famousmatchateaceremony,inwhichthepowderedteaiswhiskedintoafroth,poured,andconsumedwithgreatreverence.

MedicinalBenefits

Green tea is a stimulant and a diuretic, and is also antibacterial. Itcontains the highest levels of antioxidants of all the Camellia sinensisteas.Itdoescontainacertainamountofcaffeine,butthecaffeineinteaisreleasedslowly(unlikeincoffee)sothatitactuallybenefitsthebodyandmind.Greenteaalsocontainsvitaminsandironandmayhelplowercholesterolandslowtheagingprocess.

ToHarvest

PLUCK

To make green tea, harvest the first burst of leaf growth from yourCamellia sinensis plant. Your plants will put on new growth in thespringtimewhen theweatherwarms,after theplanthasbeendormantover thewinter. Thenewgrowthwill have light green stems, and theprioryear’sgrowthwillhavebrownstems.Pluckthetoptwoleavesandleafbudfromtheteaplants.

HEAT

Heating the leafwill kill the enzymeswithin so that no oxidation canoccur.Thiskeeps the leavesgreener.Youcansteamthe leavesusingametalorbamboosteamerinsertandasaucepan.Pourabout½inch(1cm)depthofwaterintothepanandsetinthesteamerinsert.Coverwithalidandbringthewatertoaboil.Whenthewaterhascometoaboil,removethelid,droptheleavesintothesteamer,andre-coverit.Steamthetealeavesfor1to2minutes,untiltheystarttoturnanolivegreencolor. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately run the leavesunderacoldtaptostoptheheatingprocessandtoretainasmuchgreencoloraspossible.

ROLL

Theleaveswillbeverysoftandflexibleandreadytoberolled.Rollingisthemethodofstylingandshapingtheleaf.Todothis,simplyrolltheteainyourhands.Experimentwiththeshapeyoulike.Ilikegentlyrollingthe leaves in a sushi-rolling mat—you can get lovely even tubes thisway.Placetheleavesinthecenterofabamboosushi-rollingmat.Foldthe mat in half over the leaves and, holding down the edge of thebottomhalfwithonehand,pushuponthetophalfofthematwithyourotherhandtorollthematovertheleaves.Rollthematbackandforthgentlyuntiltheleavesaretightlyrolled.Youcaneventrytorollyourowngreenteapearls!Thehighestquality

gunpowder tea and jasminepearl teaare still rolledbyhand into tinyballs. Ifyouhaveplucked thevery freshestyoungnewgrowth, rollingwill only take 2 to 3minutes, but if you have used older and harderleaves,itwilltakemuchlonger.

DRY

Immediately after rolling, spread the leaves out in a single layer on abakingdishorbakingtrayandplacetheminapreheated212to230°F(100to110°C)ovenfor10to12minutes.After5minutes,givethemagentle turn to ensure uniform drying.When the leaves are totally dryandcrispy,theyaredone.Thegreenteaisreadytobeusedimmediatelyorcanbestoredinasealedglasscontainerinadry,darkcupboarduntilneeded.

HowtoMakeTea

It isgood tokeep the temperaturesofall thevesselsused tomake thetea as constant as possible. Fill the kettle with fresh water. Bring thewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteapotorteacuptowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putsixleavesofgreenteaintoateabagorteapot—use more as necessary according to the number of people you aremaking tea for. Pour the water (which should be between 176 to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoveritwithalid.Allowtheteatosteep for threeminutes.Remove the tea bag and set it on a saucer sothatyoucanrepeattheprocessforasecondcup.Orpouryourteafromyour teapot, using a tea strainer. Enjoy the fresh sweet taste and therelaxingsensationofhomegrowngreentea.

TIPS

Madefrompartiallyoxidizedleaves,oolongorwu-longteahasatastebetweenagreenteaandablacktea.Itcombinesthecalmingeffectsofgreenteawiththestrongerflavorofblacktea.

TeaBagFriends

•Greenteaiswellsuitedtothefragranceofflowers.Youcanadddriedflowerssuchascamellia,rose,andviolettoyourjarsofdriedgreentealeavestocreateyourownflower-scentedgreentea.Jasmineteaisessentiallygreenteaflavoredwiththescentofthejasmineflowers.SeeJasmine,formoreinstructions.

•Commerciallyavailable“floweringteas”arecreatedusingdriedflowersthatarerolledwithingreentealeaves.Ittakesagreatdealofskilltocreatefloweringteas.Theycanbelargeballs,dependingontheflowerused,andareanamazingteatowatchinfuse.Youshoulddrinktheseinaglassorinfusetheminaglassteapotsothatyoucanseethespectacleofit.

BLACKTEA

Camelliasinensis

Black tea is made from completely oxidized leaves of the Camelliasinensis plant. The tea is a dark color and has a strong rich flavor.Camelliasinensisvar.assamicaisthevarietyofcamelliapreferredfortheproduction of black tea. Its leaves are bigger than those of Cameliasinensis var. sinensis and have greater surface area, allowing moreoxidation to takeplace. It is the oxidationor fermentation thatmakestheleavesturndarkbrownorblack,asthenamesuggests.

MedicinalBenefits

Antioxidants found in black tea are believed to help prevent heartdisease,somecancers,andstrokes.Itmayalsohelpwithcirculationandreducefatigue.Blackteaisadiureticsoithelpstodetoxifythebody.

ToHarvest

WhenteaisgrownatahighaltitudeincountrieslikeIndia,pluckingofteatraditionally takesplaceearly in themorning,before thesunhasachancetoheatanddrythemorningmistcoveringtheleaves.

PLUCK

Pluckthetoptwoleavesandbudtomakeintoblacktea.Makesureyouonlypickafewleavesatatimeifyourplantsaresmall.Theleavesmakethe plant’s food, so if you take too many in one go, the plant willstruggletosurvive.

WITHER

Spread the leaves on a mesh screen or a tray and set them inside oroutsideona cool,dryday.Allow them towilt forup to twentyhoursafterwhichtheleaveswillhavelostabout60percentoftheirmoisture.Youcanweightheleavestobeexact,butaslongastheleaveslookandfeellimpthisisfine.

ROLL

You can roll the leaves between thepalmsof yourhands. This rollingruptures the cells of the leaves, so that all the juices and naturalchemicalscombinewitheachother.Thisreactionturnstheleafbrown,andiscalledoxidationorfermentation.Ilikeusingasushi-rollingmattorolltheteaon,asyoucangetlovelytubesoftea.Placetheleavesinthecenter of a bamboo sushi-rolling mat. Fold the mat in half over theleaves and, holding down the edge of the bottomhalfwith one hand,pushuponthetophalfofthematwithyourotherhandtorollthematovertheleaves.Rollthematbackandforthgentlyuntiltheleavesaretightlyrolled.

OXIDIZE

Immediately after rolling, spread the leaves out in a single layer on atrayorbakingdish.Leavethemtooxidizeatroomtemperature,ideallybetween69to75°F(21to24°C),foruptothreehours.Theleaveswillturnbrownastheyoxidize.

DRY

Placetheleavesinapreheated230to257°F(110to125°C)oventodryforabout20minutes.When the leavesare crispy, theyare completelydryand ready tobeused.Oncecooled to room temperature, store theleavesinasealedglasscontainerinacooldarkcupboarduntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Homegrown black tea is much weaker than professionally processedblacktea.Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteapotorteacuptowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putthreeormorepinchesofteaintoateabagorteapot.Pourthewater(which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to 85°C) over the tea; ifusinga teapot, pour thewater into the teapot and cover itwith a lid.Allowtheteatosteepforthreetofourminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Servewithoutmilkandsugar.Homegrownblackteaisapalebrowncolorandhasadelicious,refreshing,sweettaste.

TeaBagFriends

•Blackteaislovelyservedwithasliceoffreshordriedlemon.

•Blackteablendswellwithmanyotherteas.Youcanmakeupbagsorjarsofblackteawithlavenderflowers,violetsorstrawberriesinadvance,sothattheflavorscanblendtogetherovertime.

TIPS

Therearemanytypesofblackteasavailabletobuy.Lapsangsuchongismadefromblacktealeavesthathavebeensmokedandinfusedwiththescentofpineneedles.EarlGreyteaisblacktealeavesinfusedwithessentialoilfromtheskinofthebergamot(Citrusbergamia)fruit.

AniseHyssop

Agastachefoeniculum

Anisehyssop is from theLamiaceae (mint) family and is native to thewestern United States. It has light green, heart-shaped leaves withserratededges, tingedwithpurple in the spring.The leavesgiveoutawonderful aniseed smell when they are rubbed. Bees and insects love

anisehyssopflowersbecausetheyarerichinnectar,soitisagreatplantto help attract wildlife to your garden. It is sometimes referred to ashummingbirdmint.Boththeflowersandtheleavescanbeusedtomakea delicious fragrant tea. Do not confuse it with hyssop (Hyssopusofficinalis), star anise (Illicium verum), or aniseed (Pimpinella anisum),whicharedifferentplants.

MedicinalBenefits

Native Americans have used anise hyssop as a medicinal plant forhundredsofyears.Theyuseitasaremedyforcoughsandtohelpfightcoldsandfevers.Itisalsobelievedtohelpwithrheumaticpain.Ifyouarepregnant,researchpossiblesideeffectsofthisherbbeforeusing.

ToGrow

Buyaplantinsteadofstartingfromseed,sothatyoucanharvestanisehyssop tea in the first year. Anise hyssop likes well-drained soil andplentyofsun.Itgrowstoabout2to3feettall(90cm)byabout1foot(30cm)across,soplantitatthebackormiddleofabordertoallowforits height. It will flower from summer through autumn and will giveyour garden lovely color formanymonths. Likeothermembers of themint family, it canspreadeasily. Ifnotkeptundercontrol, it can takeovera smallgarden;youcankeep it inaplanteror tub ifyoudonotwantthistohappen.Fillaplanterwithamixtureofpottingsoilandgritorsharpsandtohelpimprovedrainage,andkeepitwellwatered.Feedthe plant with an organic fertilizer early in the spring if it is in acontainer.Itwillnotsurviveverycoldfrostsortemperaturesbelow21°F(-6°C),especiallyifitisgrowinginapot.Duringcoldweather,bringitintoanunheatedgreenhouseorprotectitwithhorticulturalfleece.Anisehyssopisanherbaceousperennialplantsoitwilldiebackevery

winterandappearagaininthespring.Shouldyouneedmoreplants,youcantakecuttingsinthespringordigtheplantupanddividetheroots.At the same time, prune back the whole plant to encourage fresh,healthynewgrowthfortheforthcomingyear.Youcancollecttheseedsinthelateautumnforfuturesowingortogivetofriends.

ToHarvest

TheplantcanbeharvestedanytimefromMayuntilitdiesbackinlatefall. If you want to harvest its flowers, too, these will continue fromJune/July through September and possibly October. Pick leaves andflowersasandwhenyouneedthemforacupoffreshanisehyssoptea.Todry theplant tostoreanduse throughout theyear,pickasmany

leaves and flowers as you think youmay need, but making sure thatenough are left on the plant so that it will continue to grow. It ispreferable to pick in themorning on a dry, sunny day. Cut the stemsabout4inches(10cm)fromthebaseoftheplant.Groupyourharvestintosmallbunches.Tiethestemsofeachbunchtogetherwithanelasticbandandhangthemupsidedowninadry,well-ventilatedplace.Whentheleavesandflowerheadsaretotallydry,breakthemoffofthestems;breakuptheleavestomakethemsmaller.Alternativelychoptheyoungstems up into½ inch (1 cm) long pieceswith the leaves attached, orremove the leaves from older stems, and dry flat on a tray or in adehydrator.Storethedriedleavesandflowersinasealedglasscontainersomewheredarkanddryuntilreadytouse.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Foracupoffresh anise hyssop tea, remove two or three leaves and a flower, tearthemintosmallerpieces,andputthemintoateabagorteapot.Ifusingdriedanisehyssop,useonepinchofdriedleavesandflowers.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.Coverwiththesaucerorlidtocontainthearoma.Allowtheteatosteepforthreetofiveminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteapotusingateastrainer,puttingafreshleafintheteacuptoserve.Theteahasadeliciousmildaniseflavor.

TeaBagFriends

•Tryblendinganisehyssopwithadecoctionofrosehips(seeRoseHip).Straintherosehipdecoctionintoateacupcontainingateabagofanisehyssop.Infuseforthreeminutes,thenremovetheteabagandenjoy.Thisteaisverygoodtohelpwithcoughsandcolds.

•Tryblendinganisehyssopwithhoneysuckleforasoothing

andwarmingtea.Putapincheachofanisehyssopandhoneysuckleinateabagorteapot,andsteepinboiledwaterforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.

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Thefreshleavesarewonderfulmixedintoasaladorputintostir-fries.WhenusingtheleavesincookingIrecommendchoppingthemup,astheycanbealittletoughtochew.Anisehyssopflowersretaincolorandscentwhendried,sotheyaregreattouseinpotpourri.

Bergamot

Monarda

This plant genus was namedMonarda after Dr. Nicholas Monardes, aSpanish botanist and physician who first documented it in 1571.Bergamot(Monarda) is also calledbeebalm, redbergamot, orOswegotea.Around the time of theBostonTeaParty, early settlers needed to

findasubstitutedrinkinplaceofheavilytaxed,importedtea.TheysawMonardabeingmadeintoteabytheOswegoIndiansinNewYorkState(hence the name Oswego Tea). It gained its most common name,bergamot, from its flavor, which is similar to that of the bergamotorange plant (Citrus bergamia). Bergamot orange is used to flavor EarlGreytea.Theplantsarenotrelated.TherearemanyspeciesofMonardaandevenmorecultivatedvarietiesof the plant. I suggest finding one that is suited to growing in yourlocation and that has the most fragrant leaves and flowers.Monardadidyma(redbeebalm)hasflowerscomposedofbrightredtubularpetalsinthesummerandfragrantleaves.MonardafistulosaisawildbergamotnativetotheUnitedStatesandCanada.Thepalemauveflowersprovideanimportantfoodsourceforbeesandotherpollinatinginsects.Monardapunctata has pale pink flowers and is believed to contain the greatestmedicinalstrengthofalltheMonardas.ItisnativetoFlorida,whereitisalsocalledhorsemintorspottedbeebalm.Thereisalsolemonbergamot(Monardacitriodra),sometimescalledlemonmint,anannualplantwithbeautifulpinkflowersandlovelylemon-flavoredleaves.TheleavesandflowersfromallofthemanydifferentspeciesandcultivarsofMonardacanbeusedtomakewonderfulteas.

MedicinalBenefits

Bergamot is high in antioxidants, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It is anantiseptic so it may be good for sore throats and colds. It is a verycalmingplantandhasbeenusedtotreatdepression.NativeAmericansusedtheplanttotreatnosebleeds,insomnia,fevers,andstomachache.

ToGrow

Bergamot is easy to grow from seed in the early spring. (Formore ongrowing from seed, see here.) Bergamots belong to the Lamaiceae, ormint, family, so bear this in mind when choosing where and how togrowitasitcantakeoverasmallplot.Ifyouhavelotsofspace,itcanbebeautiful inanherbaceousborder,butremember toplant it towardthe middle or back of the bed as it can reach 3 feet (90 cm) tall.Bergamotneedsgoodventilation,soallow2feet(.60cm)betweenyourplants. Bergamots likemoist,well-drained soil, and they are not fussyaboutthesoiltype(pHlevel).Theyideallyliketobeplantedinapartlyshaded area, but they can grow in full sun if you use mulch to helpretain moisture to keep the roots cool. You can grow bergamot in acontaineraslongasitisdeepenough(atleast1foot/30cm)togivetheroots room to grow and so it does not too easily dry out. They aresusceptible tomildew, awhite powdery fungal infectionof the leaves,due to lackofwater. If this is a reoccurringproblem, try spraying theleaves with milk when the disease is first detected and water well.Otherwise, mildew-resistant varieties are available. Divide your plantseverythreeyears,everytwoiftheyaregrowinginacontainer.Fertilizetheplantsinthespringtimetoencouragehealthynewgrowth.Theycangetgreenfliesaroundthetendernewbuds,sokeepaneyeoutforfliesandsquashthemwhenyouseethem,oruseagarlicspraybeforetheyhaveachancetotakeover.Bergamotishardysodoesnotrequirewinterprotection.Itwilldiebackduringthewintermonthsandre-sproutagainthefollowingspring.

ToHarvest

Aswithmostplants,theleaveshavethebestflavorandmedicinalvaluebeforetheflowersappear.Youcanharvestsomeofthesesmallerleavesearlier in the summer before the tall flower stems grow. Allow somestemstogrowonsotheycanproduceflowersthatcanalsobeusedinyourbergamot tea.Cut the stems to justabovea leaf jointas thiswillencouragetheplanttobushout.Pick the leavesoff the stemsandcutup the smaller stems touseas

well.Onthelargerfloweringstems,teartheleavesintosmallerpieces.Do not use the large thicker stems as they are too hard. To drybergamot,separatethetornflowersandsmallstemsfromtheleavesanddry them separately, as the leaves will take less time to dry. Use adehydrator,orlaythebergamotonatrayormeshandleavesomewherewarmandwell ventilated, togentlydry.Turn the leaves frequently toaidthedryingprocess.Oncecompletelydryandcrispy,storeinasealedglasscontainersomewheredarkanddryuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Youcanusebergamot fresh from the plant or dried. Put five or so small fresh ordriedleavesandapinchofbrokenflowerintoateabagorteapot.Pourthe boiledwater (which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to 85°C)overthetea.Coverwithalid.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Lift the tea bag up and down a few times to aid the infusion, thenremove it. If usinga teapotpour the teausing a tea strainer.You canaddasmallflowertotheteacupforaverydecorativetea.Thestemsandtheflowershavethesamesweet,slightlyspicy,lemonyscentandithasarosemaryflavorwithahintofmintandoregano.Itisawarmingandrelaxingtea.

TeaBagFriends

•BlendbergamotwithblackteatomakeyourownversionofEarlGrey.Combineblackteaanddriedbergamotinacontainer,sealit,andallowtheflavorstoblendtogetheroverafewdays.

•Blendbergamotwithrosemaryfora“feel-good”tea.Putasmallpinchofbothplantsintoateabagorteapotandaddboiledwater.Steepfor3minutes.Removetheteabagorpourfromtheteapotusingateastrainer.

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Bergamotcanbeusedinplaceoforeganoinlotsofculinarydishes,includingpastadishes.

Cardamom

Elettariacardamomum

Greencardamom,ortruecardamom,growswildintheforestsofIndiaandSriLanka.Althoughtheplantisknownprimarilyforitsseeds,ithasaromatic leaves thatcanbeused incookingaswellas formaking tea.

The leaves are dark green, with a lighter green underside and longstems.Newleavesarebrightgreenandmuchthinnerandmoredelicate.They have a wonderful spicy, aromatic smell and taste similar to butdistinct from the seeds. There is written evidence that cardamom hasbeenusedasamedicinalplantasfarbackasthesecondcenturyBC.IthasbeenincultivationinAsiaforhundredsofyearsandhasbeengrownin the shade of Camellia sinensis on large tea plantations in India.CardamombelongstotheZingiberaceae,orginger,family,anditsseedsareoneofthemosthighlyprizedofallspices.GreencardamompowderisusedinKashmirandothercentralAsiancountriesasaflavorinateacalledkhawa. It isalsoused inAsiaasan ingredient inmasalachai,aspicedteathatalsocontainsginger,cinnamon,cloves,andpepper.Blackcardamom (Amomum subulatum) is from a different genus in the samefamilyandhaslarger,darkbrownseeds.

MedicinalBenefits

Cardamomisanti-inflammatoryandisbelievedtohelpwithsorethroatsandcolds.Itisusedtoaiddigestionandcalmupsetstomachs,andmaybehelpfulintreatingstressanddepression.

ToGrow

Itisverydifficulttogrowcardamomfromseed.Theseedsmustbesowninaspecificandlimitedtimeaftertheyhaveripened;theseedsyoubuyatthegrocerystoreforcookingwerepickedbeforetheyripened,sotheywillnevergerminate.Youwillneedtobuyacardamomplanttostartoffwith.Itneedstobe

growninsideunlessyouliveinatropicalclimate,asitlikestobekeptat71°F(22°C)oraboveallyear.Cardamomlovesahumidenvironment,soabathroomwindowsillisperfectfortheplant.Theydon’tliketobeinavery sunny position. Once you have found the perfect spot for thisattractivehouseplant,donotmoveitaround,asitdoesnotlikechange.Theplantshouldstayneatandcompactwhengrowninside,unlikewhenit is grown in thewild,when it cangrow22 feet (6 to7meters) tall.Restricting its size will mean that your cardamom is very unlikely tomakefruitandseed.Tomakemore plants, you can divide your plant in the spring. Like

ginger, cardamomhas rhizomes (underground swollen stems) that canbe divided using a knife. Feed your cardamom an organic houseplantfeedorliquidseaweedinthespring.Removeanydeadleavesbypullingor cutting them off at the base of the stem. Cardamom plants canbecomequitecongestedwithdeadstemsand leaves, somakesureyoucut them back to the base of the plant. If the tips of the leaves turnbrown,theplantisbeingoverwatered.

ToHarvest

Harvestonlytheyounglightgreenleavesoranyleavesthathavegrownsinceyouhavebeencaringfortheplant.Thisistoensurethatyouwillnotbeusinganyleavesthatmayhavebeensprayedwithanychemicalsbeforeyouboughttheplant.Cutofftheleavesatthebaseasneeded,asitgrowsnewleavesallthetimewhengrownindoors.Chopuptheleavesandthestalks.Youcanusecardamomfreshordryitforlateruse.Drythe cardamom leaves in a dehydrator, or spread the leaves out on abaking tray and put into a low temperature oven 212° F (100° C), orsomewherewarmandwellventilated,turningtheleaveseverysooften.Theywill giveoff anamazingaromawhen touched.When completelydryandcrispy,storeinasealedglasscontainersomewheredarkanddryuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putalargepinchofdriedcardamomintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to 85°C) over the tea andcoverwith a sauceror a lid.Allow the tea to steep for threeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Drink and enjoy. The tea has a lovely sweet pungent flavor and iswonderfullywarmingonacoldnight.

TeaBagFriends

•Cardamomiswonderfulblendedwithsaffron,asthesaffrongivesthisotherwiseclearteaayellowcolor.Putasmallpinchofcardamomandalargepinchofsaffronintoateabagorteapotandaddboiledwater.Steepasbefore.Thisisagreatpick-me-upteatohelpliftyourmoodandtohelpwithstress.

•Cardamomisalsolovelyblendedwithfreshordriedginger.Putasmallpinchofeachinateabagorteapotandenjoy.

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Theleavescanalsobeusedforcooking,andaregreatwrappedaroundfishorchicken.Cardamomseedsaresometimeschewedandusedasabreathfreshenerafterameal.

Hyssop

Hyssopusofficinalis

This isabeautifulherb that is surprisingly littleknownorused today.Hyssop is an evergreen perennial originally from the Mediterranean.European colonists introduced this medicinal plant to North Americawhereitcannowbefoundgrowingwildinsomestates.Bluehyssopisthewildvariety,butyoucanalsofindwhitehyssop(Hyssopusofficinalis(“Alba”)and pink hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis “Roseus”). All three are

suitabletouseformakingtea.Hyssophassmall,thin,pointed,darkgreenleavesthathavealovelyrich aromatic scent when rubbed. It has clusters of small, trumpet-shapedflowersalongthestems,and it flowersall thewaythroughthesummer. Bees and other pollinating insects love it. The leaves, greenstems,andflowersareusedtomakehyssoptea.

MedicinalBenefits

Hyssopisanantiseptic,andisbelievedtohelpwithsorethroats,colds,andcoughs,aswellasbronchitisandasthma.Itmayalsohelpincreaseyourenergylevels.Donotusehyssopifyouarepregnant.

ToGrow

Youcangrowbluehyssopfromseedseasilyinthespring,(seehere).Ifyouare ina rush to try the tea,youcanbuyasmallplant tostartoffwith.Inthesummeryoucanrepotyourhyssopintoalargercontainerorplantitinyourgardeninasunnyarea.Mixinonehandfulofperliteorgritforeveryhandfulofpottingsoil,ashyssoplovesveryfree-drainingsoil. Itwill not needmuchwatering and can be kept on the dry side.Hyssopisa lovelyplanttohaveinapotnexttoyourdoorsoyoucansmell itwhenyoubrushpast.Youcanpropagatecuttingsinthespringoncetheplant isestablished,especially frompinkorwhitevarietiesasthesemayreverttoanothercolorifgrownfromseed.Blue hyssop is fully hardy but thewhite and pink cultivars are less

tolerantoffrostsandtemperaturesbelow23°F(-5°C),sotheymayneedtobeprotectedwithafleece.Ifthehyssopisgrowinginacontainer,itwillbenefit froma feedof seaweedoranotherorganic fertilizer in thesummer. It may die back slightly in the winter and need pruning inspringtopromotenewgrowth.Itsolderstemsbecomewoodyovertimesopruningwillkeeptheplantsfreshandneat.

ToHarvest

Youcanharvesthyssopanytimeduringthegrowingseasonfromspringthoughsummer.Usescissorstocutoffsomegreenstems.Ifharvestinginsummer, youwill be able to harvest both the flowers and the leaves.Chopupthestemsintosmallpiecesabout½inch(1cm)long.Thickerstemswillbetoohardtocut,sopeeltheleavesoffoftheseanddiscardthethickstem.Hyssopcanbeusedfreshordriedforlateruse.Todry,laytheflowers,leaves,andchoppedstemsonabakingsheetordishandsettheminalowtemperatureoven,dehydrator,orairingcupboard.Youcan also dry small bunches by tying them with a rubber band andhanging themupside down in a dry, dark room.Once totally dry andcrispy, store in a sealed glass container somewheredry anddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot towarm it up. Discard thewater. Put twopinchesoffreshordriedhyssopintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasaucerorlid.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Theteaisapaleblue-greencolorandhasafresh,green,rosemary-likearoma. It has a gentle taste of rosemary with a hint of lemony mintflavor.Averysweetandsoothingtea.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendwithstrawberriesorblueberriesforanantioxidant-boostingtea.Puttwoorthreeslicesofstrawberryortwopinchesofgroundblueberryandasmallpinchofhyssopleavesintoateabagorteapotandpouroverboiledwater.Steepforthreetofourminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.

•Forateatohelpcoughsandsorethroats,infuseateabagofhyssopintoadecoctionofechinacea(seeEchinacea).StraintheEchinaceadecoctionintoateacupcontainingateabagofhyssop.Infusetheteabagforthreeminutesandthenremove

todrink.

TIPS

Hyssopcanbeusedinstews,stuffings,andsoupsandsparinglyinsalads.Donotconfusethisplantwithanisehyssoporwaterhyssop.Theyarecompletelydifferentplants.

Warning:Nottobeusedbypregnantwomen.

LemonBalm

Melissaofficinalis

Lemon balm has been used bymany cultures as amedicinal herb forthousandsofyears.ItisnativetosouthernEuropeandwesternAsia.Theofficinalisinitsnameactuallymeans“usedinmedicine.”Itisaperennialherbandwilldiebackinthewinterandreappearthefollowingspring.

FromJunetoOctober,itproducessmall,whitishflowersthatareagoodsourceofnectarandpollenforbees.Theyarealsoedible.Lemonbalmhas slightly rough, scoop-edged, hairy leaves that are amediumgreencolorandsmellstronglyoflemonwhenrubbed.

MedicinalBenefits

Lemon balm has been used to help with indigestion, including thefeeling of bloating. It is believed to help thememory, lift spirits, andhelp combat depression. It is also antiviral and antibacterial, andcontainsvitaminC.

ToGrow

You cangrow lemonbalmeasily from seed. Start your seeds inside inthe early spring and sow them according to the instructions on thepacket(formoreonsowing,seehere).Sowinamixtureofequalpartsperliteandpottingsoilforgooddrainage.Donotoverwater.Ifyoustartwithasmallplant,youshouldbeabletouseitsleavesfor

teainitsfirstyear.Itcanbeplantedinyourgardeninasunnyorpartlyshadedspot.Itcaneasilybegrowninapotorcontainer,asitisinvasivein a garden (it is in the mint family). If growing lemon balm in acontainer,feedtheplantinthespringtimewithanorganicfertilizersuchasliquidseaweedorwormtea.Youshouldrepottheplantintoalargercontainereachyeartogiveitmoreroomtogrow.Onceitisestablishedyou candivide the plant bypulling apart the roots and repotting.Cutbackwoodystemsintheearlyspringtotidyuptheplantandpromotenewgrowth.Lemon balm can get whitefly under its leaves, so if you notice any

insects,squashthemwithyourfingersandkeepacloseeyeoutforanyothers.Youcanalsospraytheundersideoftheleaveswithagarlicsprayon consecutivedays.Make sure theplant has goodventilation tohelppreventdiseasesandpests.

ToHarvest

Pinch off the leaves when needed; the freshest youngest growth isalwaysrecommended.Leavesandflowerscanbeusedfresh,ordriedforuse throughout the year. Harvest a larger amount in the late summerbeforetheplantsgotoseed.Todry,picktheleavesoffthestem.Spreadthemoutinasinglelayeronabakingsheetormeshscreen.Ifindthatdrying in the oven is too harsh for these leaves. They keep a brightergreencoloriftheyaregentlydriedinthewarmairneararadiatororina warm room and turned every so often. When completely dry andcrispy,storeinasealedglasscontainerinadry,darkcupboard.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot towarm it up. Discard thewater. Put twopinches(aboutfiveleaves)ofeitherfreshordriedlemonbalmintoateabagor teapot.Dried lemonbalmmayhaveastronger taste thanfresh.Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to85°C)overthetea.Coverwithalidandallowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer. The tea has a delicious lemon flavor and a relaxing effect.Enjoy.

TeaBagFriends

•Tohelpinducerelaxationandsleep,mixasmallpinchoflemonbalmwithasmallpinchofchamomileintoateabagorteapotandpouronboiledwater.Steepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourfromtheteapotusingateastrainer.

•Foramemoryboostingtea,blendlemonbalmwithapinchofpineappleortangerinesage.Putapinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandbrewasabove.

•Youcanalsodrinklemonbalmasanicedtea,blendedwithsteviaandlavender.Putapinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandpouronboiledwater.Infuseforthreeminutes.

Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Allowtheteatocoolandthenplaceinarefrigerator.Whenchilledservedwithlavenderflowersfrozeninicecubesorafreshlavenderflower.

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Youcanuselemonbalminpotpourri.Also,ifyourubtheleavesonyourskin,itwillactasanaturalinsectrepellent.Somepeople’sskinmayreacttothis,sotestasmallareafirstandusewithcaution.

Warning:Aswithallherbs,donottakelemonbalminplaceofconsultingadoctorormedicalpractitioner.Lemonbalmshouldnotbeusedifyouareonasedativeorthyroidmedication.

Lemongrass

Cymbopogoncitratus

LemongrassisnativetoAsiawhereithasbeenusedasamedicinalherbfor centuries. It has long, slender green leaves on hard purple-tingedstems called culms. The leaves have a beautiful lemon scent when

brushed. It is a tender perennial so it may need to be brought insideduring thewinter, depending on your location. If grown in a tropicalclimate, it is an evergreenplant and cangrowup to6 feet (2meters)tall. There are fifty-five species of Cymbopogon, including Cymbopogonnardus, commonlyreferred toascitronellagrass, fromwhichcitronellaoil is made. You can use the culm or stem of Cymbopogon citratus tomaketea,butIwanttoshowhowtheleavescanalsobeutilized,astheyaredeliciousandoftenoverlooked.

MedicinalBenefits

There are believed to bemany health benefits to drinking lemongrasstea. The leaves are high in folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin B.Lemongrass is known to help improve digestion and calm nervousstomachs.Itisalsoanantiseptic,andhelpsfightcoughsandcolds.Itisanaturaldiureticsoitwillhelpflushtoxinsfromyourbodyandkeepyouhealthy.

ToGrow

It can take timeandpatience togerminate lemongrass fromseed.Sowearlyintheyear.Theseedsonlyneedaverythinlayerofsoiltocoverthem. To help speed up germination, place a plastic bag over thecontainertohelpcreateawarm,moistenvironment.Iftheydryout,theseedlingsarequicktodie.(Formoreinformationonsowing,seehere.)Inorder tohave some leaves toharvest in the firstyear, I recommendbuyingaplanttostartoff.Itcanbegrowninyourgardenbutitwillnotwithstandtemperatureslessthan48°F(8°C),soyouwillneedtobringitinduringthecoldermonths.Itcanhappilygrowinsideasahouseplantinasunnyconservatoryorgreenhouse,wherethereislightandwarmth.Inthelatefall,theleaveswillstarttoturnbrownbecauseofthelowerlight levels.As soonasyounotice this,use scissorsor secateurs tocutbackthewholeplanttoaheightof8to9inches(20cm),andharvestthe leaves for your tea. The plantwill then become dormant over thecoldermonths.Itrequiresverylittlewateratthistime.Ifyouliveinaclimate that does not experience frosts, your lemongrass may surviveoutsideallyearround.

Thefollowingspring,whentheweatherwarms,newshootswillstarttogrow.Lemongrassneedsfullsunandashelteredposition.Feedyourlemongrass with a good organic fertilizer throughout the summer.Removeanydeadleavesfromtheplantbypullingthemfromtheculmsothewholeleafisremoved.Whenyourplantisreallyestablishedyoucandivideittomakemoreplants.Youcanalsogrownewplantsfromthestemsyoubuyatgrocers.Buythree stemswhich still have their base on (sometimes they are cut offtoohigh), removea coupleof leaves, andplace the stem in a glass ofwater.Refreshthewatereveryfewdays;afterawhile,smallrootswillform.Potthenewplant,groupingthreestemsintoonepot,andkeepitinsideinawarm,sunnyplaceuntiltheleaveshavestartedtogrowanditismoreestablished.Itcangooutsideiftheweatheriswarm.

ToHarvest

Youcanharvestlemongrassleavesatanytimeduringitsgrowingseasontousefresh.Justcutoffaleafwithscissorsanduse.Makesureenoughleaves remain on the plant so that it can continue to grow.Harvest alargeramountfordryingwhenyoucutbacktheleavesbeforetheplantbecomesdormantforthewinter.Cuttheleavesupintosmallpiecesandlay themonameshscreenor flat sieve.Set themsomewherewarmtodry for twelve hours, or until completely dry. Once totally dry andcrispy, store in a sealed glass container somewheredry anddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuptowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putthreepinchesoffreshordriedlemongrassleavesintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralidtocontainthearoma.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteapotusingatea strainer. Then enjoy a wonderful aromatic lemon tea. Lemongrassalsomakesadeliciousicedtea.Steeptheteaasbefore,thenrefrigerateuntilchilled.Servewithicecubesandlemongrassleaves.

TeaBagFriends

•Forateatohelpwithanxiety,blendlemongrasswithviolets.Putapinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandpouronboiledwater.Coverandsteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourfromateapotusingateastrainer.Servewithavioletflower.Drinkandenjoy.

•Blendlemongrasswithcalendulatoaiddigestion.Combineapinchofcalendulaflowersandleavesandapinchoflemongrassandsteepasbefore.

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Lemongrassplantedinyourgardencanactasaninsectandsnakerepellent!

Warning:Lemongrassoilhasbeenknowntocausecontactdermatitis,sohandlewithcare.

LemonVerbena

Aloysiatriphylla

Lemon verbena is a highly scented perennial shrubwith lovely brightgreenglossy leaves. Ithas small,pale lilac flowers in late summerandautumn.TheplantoriginatesfromSouthAmericawherethereareoverthirtyspecies.AloysiaispartofthelargerVerbenaceaefamily.Triphyllais the species name that describes the characteristic grouping of threeleaves on the stem. In the past, it has been called Aloysia citriodora,

referencingitslemonscent.

MedicinalBenefits

Lemonverbenateaiswonderfulifyouaredetoxing,anditisagoodteato calm digestion and relax your body and mind. The leaves containlemon-scented essential oil that helps the dried leaves retain theirwonderfulfreshlemontasteformanymonths.Itpromotesagoodnight’ssleepandisalsoknowntohelpclearcoldsymptomsandcongestion.Aswithallteas,drinkinmoderation.

ToGrow

Lemonverbenaseedsneedawarmclimatetogerminate.Ifyouliveinamore temperate climate you will need to buy a small lemon verbenaplanttobeginwith.Itideallylikesasunny,shelteredspotandverywell-drained soil.Under idealwarmconditions, it cangrow tobe9 feet (3meters)tall.Lemon verbena can be grown in a container. In the early summer,

repotyourverbenaintoalargerpottoallowitroomtogrow.Makesurethe pot has good drainage holes, and mix in some perlite or grit tofurther improve drainage. Feed your plant once a month during thespringandsummerwithanorganicfertilizersuchasliquidseaweed.Ifyou would like to grow lemon verbena in your garden but thetemperatureinyourareadropsbelow40°F(4°C)inthewinter,plantitinashelteredspot,mulchthicklyaroundtheroots,andcovertheplantwitha fleeceduring thecoldermonths. Ifyou live inanarea thathasfrosts,itisagoodideatogrowlemonverbenainapotsothatyoucanbring it insidewhenneeded. Ifyouhaveanunheatedgreenhouse, thiswould be an ideal place for the potted plant. It may lose its leavesquicklyatthistime.Donotoverwaterinthecoldermonths,asitpreferstobekeptonthedryside.Thefollowingspring,cutbackthestemsbyafewinchestopromotenewgrowth.Take cuttings in the spring or early summer when the fresh green

shootshavegrownandbeforeithasflowered.Cuttingswiltveryquickly,so prepare your pot of soil before you take the cutting andwater thecutting as soon as it is planted. Cuttings take a number of weeks todeveloproots,butyoushouldhaveagoodsizedplanttopotupandstartharvestingthefollowingsummer.

ToHarvest

Lemon verbena leaves can be harvested any time during its growingseason.Youcaneitherpickofffreshleaveswheneveryouneedthem,orcutbacktheplantinlatesummeranddrymanyleavesinonegosothatyouhaveenoughtolastyouthewinter.Todrytheleaves,spreadthemoutonaflatsieveorbakingsheetandleavethemsomewherewarmtodry for twenty-four hours. If you havemany leaves to dry in one go,groupthestemsintobunches,tiethemwitharubberband,andhangthebunches upside down in awarm place (see drying section).When theleavesaretotallydry,breakthemoffofthestem,andstoreinasealedglasscontainersomewheredryanddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putthreeorfourfreshordriedleavesintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.Allowtheteatosteepfor threeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Youcanaddafreshleaftothecupbeforeserving.Theteahasawonderfulfreshlemonytaste.Servechilledandwithicecubesforadeliciousicedteainthesummer.

TeaBagFriends

•Foradetoxtea,blendlemonverbenawithcalendula.Putapinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandsteepasbefore.Removetheteabagorstrainfromateapottoserve.Dropafewfreshcalendulapetalsinfordecoration

•Lemonverbenaisalsolovelyblendedwithblacktea.Placesomedriedlemonverbenaleavesinasealedcontainerwithblacktealeavesandallowtheflavortoinfuseoverafewweeks.

TIPS

Youcanaddlemonverbenaleavestomanydishesinthekitchen,includingsteamedfish,oruseittomakeanamazinglemonverbenasorbet.

Warning:Lemonverbenacanoccasionallycauseskinirritationwhentouched,astheleavesareslightlyrough.Handlewithglovesifyourskinissensitive.

Knowntocausecontactdermatitis,sohandlewithcare

Manuka

Leptospermumscoparium

ThislargeevergreenshrubisanativeofNewZealandandAustralia.Amember of theMyrtaceae (myrtle) family,manukahas beautiful smallwhite and pale pink fragrant flowers in the early summer, which the

bees adore. There are many types of manuka, but this one can beidentified by its small, pointed, dark green leaves, which are rathersharp to the touch. Early settlers to New Zealandmade tea from thisplant,henceitscommonnameofteatree.Itmakesthemostdelicious-tastingteaandyouwillbedelightedtohavediscoveredthisnewflavor.

MedicinalBenefits

Thebeesunderstand the importanceof thisplant andwill eatnothingelse if given the chance. The essential oils found in manuka areantibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, and antifungal. Maoris have beenusingmanukaforavarietyofailmentsformanyyears.It’sanamazingplanttohaveinyourgarden,foryourownwell-being,butalsoforthebees!

ToGrow

Manukaisanevergreenshrubthatcangrowtobe16to26feet(5to8meters)tall.Itshouldbekeptclippedandneatwhiletheplantissmall,otherwise it can become verywoody and unruly. It likeswell-drainedsoil,butwateritwell,asitdoesnottoleratedryingout.

Togrowmanukafromseedyoucangetdriedseedpods/capsulesfromanotherplant,allowtheseedstodryinsideandwaitacoupleofdaysforthemtoopen.Placethecapsulesinasieveandshakeitoveratray;thefineseedswilldropout.Ifyouarestartingwithstore-boughtseeds,fillaseedtraywithgoodqualityseedcompostmixedwith50percentperliteorhorticulturalgritasmanukalikesreallygooddrainage.Lightlyflattenthe soil with a piece of wood or your fingers as the seeds are tiny.Sprinkletheseedsthinlyoverthesoil.Sieveafinelayerofcompostorsprinkle a thin covering of vermiculite or perlite over the seeds. Keepsomewhere warm and sunny, and never let the seeds dry out. Theseedlingswill be tiny and slow growing.When they are about 1 inch(2.5 cm) tall, transplant them into pots of well-drained soil. Alwayshandletheseedlingsbytheleaf,astherootsdonotliketobedisturbed.Isuggestgrowingsomeplantsfromseedsbutalsobuyingaplanttostartoffwith,sothatyoucanharvestsomemanukatotryinyourfirstyear.If you start with a manuka plant, repot the plant into a larger poteveryspringtoencouragegrowth,untilyoureachthesizeofplantyoudesire.Cliptheplanttokeepittidyandharvesttheleavesforteaatthesametime.Manukaideally likestobeplantedinthegroundinfullsunandsoilwithgooddrainage.Try toplant it next to a lower-growing evergreenshrub,whichwillnotonlyhelpshade its roots in thesummerbutwillalsoshelteritfromthewind.Itlikesaneutralorslightlyacidicsoil,soitisagoodideatomulcharoundyourplantwithbark.Oncemature,theplants are frost hardy if planted in a sheltered position. Small plants,however,especiallyiftheyareinpots,mayneedfrostprotectionifthetemperature drops much below -5°F (-15°C). Bring the plant into anunheatedgreenhouseorconservatoryorwrapthepotinbubblewrapor

fleece,bringingthecoveringupthesidesoftheplant.Coverthewholeplant with fleece, removing it during the day, until the frosts havepassed. Manuka produces small woody seed capsules in the autumn,fromwhichyoucancollectseedstogroworshare.Youcantakesemi-ripecuttings fromlatesummer.Cut½inchofbarkoff thebaseof thecuttingononesidetohelpspeeduprooting.Soakthecuttinginwaterbeforeplantinganduseat least50percentperliteorhorticultural gritmixedwithyourpottingsoil.

ToHarvest

Itisbesttoharvestmanukawhenyouarepruningtheplantintheearlyspring.Thestemandleafcanbeusedtomaketea.Cutoffthebranchesattheends,trimmingtokeepagoodshapeandmakingsureyouleaveenoughontheplantforittokeepgrowinghappily.Youwillbeabletoharvestmore eachyear. If youareharvesting in the summer, you canalso use the flowers fresh or dried in your tea. Using scissors, cut theleavesandstemsintoverysmallpiecesanduseforafreshmanukatea.Todry spreadout thepieces on a trayor a fine sieve andplace themsomewherewarmtodry,movingthemanukaaroundthetrayeverysooften. Once the plant is totally dry and crispy, store in a sealed glasscontainerinadryanddarkcupboarduntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Youcanexperimentwithdifferentamountsofmanukatosuityourtaste.Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot towarm it up. Discard thewater. Put onesmallteaspoonofmanukaintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to 85°C) over the tea andcover with a saucer or a lid. Allow the tea to steep for three to fourminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Thereislittlecolortothisteabutithasastronganddeliciousfloweryfragranttaste,socloseyoureyesandenjoy.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendmanuka(shownbelowonleft)withsaffronforateaforgoodhealth.Putapinchofmanukaandafewstrandsofsaffronintoateabagorteapot.Coverandsteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorstraintheteafromtheteapotandenjoytheflavorsome,aromatictea.

•Blendasmallpinchofmanukawithcrushedblueberriestogiveaslightfruitflavortomanukatea.Infuseasbefore.

TIPS

•Kanuka(Kunzeaericoides,showninphotoonright)isanotherplantfromthesamefamilyasmanukaandlooksverysimilar,buthasaslightlylarger,softer,andgreenerleaf.Youcanusekanukaformakingteainthesamewayasyoudoformanuka,sotryandgrowbothplantsifyouhavethespace.

•Youcantrysomemanukaorkanukaleavessprinkledonroastvegetables,ortrysmokingfishormeatusingthefragrantsawdustfromthestems.

•Toconfusethings,Melaleucaalternifoliaisalsocommonlyreferredtoastheteatreeplant.Itisfromthesamefamily(Myrtaceae)asmanukabutithasverydifferentfluffywhiteflowersandcannotbeusedtomaketea.MostMelaleucaarenativetoAustralia.

Mint

Gingermint(Menthaxgracilis“Variegata”)

Strawberrymint(Mentha“strawberry”)

Lavendermint(Mentha“lavender”)

Spearmint(Menthaspicata)

Blackpeppermint(Menthaxpiperita)

Gardenmint(Menthasativa)

MintsbelongtothegenusofplantscalledMentha,whichispartoftheLamiaceae family.There is anamazing selectionofdifferent flavorsofmint,allofwhichmakedeliciousflavorsometeas.Theyareherbaceousperennials,andwilldiebackeachyear,butcomeupagainthefollowingspring. Generally, mints are very invasive, as the roots sprout newgrowthas they spreadout from theplant.Theyareperfect togrow inpots invery small spaces,evenonawindowsill.Somecangrowup to2½feet(90cm)tall.Ihavechosensixtoshowtherangeofcolorsandshapes of this plant.You canuse any species or cultivar ofMentha tomaketea,eventhoughsomeplantsaremoremedicinalthanothers.Theflowersfromthemintplantcanalsobeusedinthetea.

MedicinalBenefits

Mintisgoodforstomachachesandmildfevers.Peppermintisespeciallygoodfordigestionandsoisgoodtodrinkbeforeameal.Mintcanalsoeaseheadachesandpromoterelaxation.

ToGrow

You can easily buy seeds ofmany species ofmint. Follow the specificinstructions on the seed packet for each variety. It’s easy to sow theseeds too thickly, so youmay need to divide the seedlings when youtransplant them. Mint can be grown in a pot outside in a sunny orpartially shaded spot. Water well and remove any dead or yellowingleaves.Repotintoalargercontainereveryyear,ortherootswillbecomejammedandhavenospacetogrow.Ifnecessary,splitupyourplantstogive them more room. Remove the plant from the pot and use yourhandstopullapart theroots.Divide it intoasmanyseparateplantsasyouwant, making sure you leave yourself with a larger “stock” plant(seedividing).Mintsareverytoughandcantoleratebeingseparatedinthisway.Feedwitha liquidseaweedfertilizeronceayear tokeeptheplantstrongandhealthy.Itisveryeasytogrowyourmintfromacuttingofafriend’splant,or

from a bunch of mint from the grocery store. You may only get thecommongardenmint,butitisaninexpensivewaytogrowlotsofmintplants.Cutastemofminttoabout3inches(8cm)longandremovethelowerleaves.Placeitinaglassofwater,whichyoushouldrefresheveryfewdays.Therootswillgroweasilyinthewater.Whenalargeenoughroothasformed,thestemisreadytobepotted.Fillapotwithpottingsoil,makingahole,andplantthecuttingniceanddeep.Keepitwateredandsomewherewarmandsheltered.Ittakesafewmonthsfortheplanttoreallybecomestrong,butonceithas,itwillgrowquickly.Itcantakeoveragarden, so thinkbeforeyouplant itdirectly into theground. Ifyouwanttoplantmintintotheground,Irecommendleavingthepotonthe plant. It sounds crazy, but it will help contain the plant’s growth(althoughsomerootswillundoubtedlyescape).Asmintsareperennialplantstheytendtodroptheirleavesinthewinterandthestalksareleftlooking untidy. Cut these off at the base of the plant, and the newgrowthwillsproutfromthebottominthespring.Mintsarefrosthardy.

ToHarvest

Harvest your plants from late spring to autumn. Harvest fresh leaveswhenyouneedthem,bypullingoffthetopofastem.Whenyouwanttoharvestmoreatonetimetodryforstorage,usescissorstocutoffstems,leavingenoughleavesontheplantforittosurvive.It’sagoodtimetoneatentheplants’shape.Generally,cuttingbacktheplantwillmakeitbecome bushier, so in the long run your plant will lookmuch better.Pluckofftheleavesfromthestemandspreadthemoutonaflatsieveorrackor in adehydrator.When the leaves are dry and crispy, they arereadytobestored.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Foracupoffreshmint tea,youneedabout threeor four fresh leavespercup.Thiscandependon thevariety andyour taste, so experiment.You canputthemstraightintothecup,whichlookslovely,orputtheleavesintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80 to 85°C) over the tea and coverwith a saucer or a lid tokeep the aroma trapped. Allow the tea to steep for three minutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Servetheteawithafreshmintleaformintflowerinthecup.

TeaBagFriends

•Mintblendswellwithmanyotherplantsinthisbook.Iparticularlylikegardenmintblendedwithblueberryforateatohelpyourdigestion.Putfourdriedandcrushedblueberriesintoateabagorteapotwithapinchofmintleaves.Steepasbefore.Servewithfreshmintleaves.

•Trymintblendedwithapinchofstevia,ifyoulikeasweet

minttaste.

•Mintislovelyinasunteablendedwithstrawberries(seesuntea).

TIPS

Mintsarewonderfulforuseinthekitcheninsalads,orinmintsauceormintjellytoaccompanylamb.Mygrandmotherwouldneverboilnewpotatoesorpeaswithoutputtinginasprigofmint.

MountainPepper

Drimyslanceolata

Mountainpepperisanunusualplantwithanamazinghistory.Itsleavesandstemsarehighlyaromatic,anditisaveryattractiveplanttogrow.Drimys(sometimesspelledDrymis)belongstotheWinteraceaefamily,

native to South America and Australasia. They are believed to be aprimitive plant, which originates from the ancient Gondwanasupercontinent, millions of years ago. It is commonly known as

mountainpepperorpepper leaf,because itsseedshavebeenusedasapeppersubstitute.Itisanevergreenshrubwithlong,slender,darkgreenleaves, with beautiful pinkish-red stems. It has small cream-coloredflowersandpinkbudsinthelatespringtime.Theflowersdonotcontainboth male and female parts so you would need a male and a femaleplantinordertogetfruitandseeds.DrimyslanceolataisnativetoAustralasia.Toconfusemattersfurther,itisalsocalledTasmannialanceolataorDrimysaromatica.Anotherspecies,Drimyswinteri(Winter’sbark)orcaneloinitsnativeSouthAmerica,canalsobeusedtomakeadeliciousaromatictea.ThisspecieswasnamedbyCaptainWilliamWinterwho,whiletravelingaroundtheworldwithSirFrancisDrake,wasgiventhisplantbyNativeAmericans,asateatotreathisstomachsickness.Itcuredhim,andhewentontogivetheteato his ship’s crew, as it is high in vitamin C andwas a good defenseagainstscurvy.DrimyswinteriwillgrowintoatreeandisthoughttobelesshardythanDrimyslanceolata.

MedicinalBenefits

Mountain pepper is thought to contain vitamin C, and also to haveantifungal and antimicrobial properties. As with all plants, use withcautionanddonotuseasanalternativetoseekingmedicaladvice.

ToGrow

Asthisisanunusualplant,itmaybehardertofindthanothersinthisbook,butitisworththesearch.Startoffwiththelargestplantthatyoucan find and afford, as it is slow growing. Plant in a sunny or semi-shaded spot, inmoist,well-drained soil. It does not tolerate very coldwinds,soplantitinashelteredlocationifpossible.Intimeitcangrowintoabeautifulevergreenhedge.Ifnecessary, keepyourmountainpepper inapot, repotting it every

springtogiveitroomtogrowandfeedingitafterrepotting.Onceitisestablished,youcantakecuttingsinthelatesummerorautumn.Ifyoulive somewhere with winter temperatures below 23°F (-5°C), you canstillgrowthisplant,butyouwillneedtobringit intoagreenhouseorconservatoryforthewintermonths;or,ifplantedinthegarden,protecttherootswithmulchandtotallycovertheplantwithafleece.

ToHarvest

Cutoffafewleavesandthetopofastemasneededforafreshcupofmountainpeppertea.Onceitisestablished,youcanharvestmoreleavesasyouprunetheplantintheautumn.Cuttheharvestedyoungstemsupinto small pieces and pluck off the leaves. To dry the plant place theleavesandstalksonafinesieveortray.Putinawarmplaceorintheovenatalowtemperature,movingtheplantaroundeverysooften(seedryingsection).Oncecompletelydryandcrispy store ina sealedglasscontainersomewheredryanddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacupor teapot towarm it up.Discard thewater. Tear themountain pepper leaves into small pieces and put two pinches (aboutfiveleaveswithstems)offreshmountainpepperinateabagorteapot.Ifyouareusingdriedmountainpepper,addanextrapinchtoyourteabag or pot, as mountain pepper is milder when dry. Pour the boiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralidtocontainthelovelyaroma.Allowtheteatosteepforfourorfiveminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafrom the teapotusinga tea strainer.Drinkandenjoy thegentlewarmcinnamonsmellandaromatic,slightlyspicyflavor.Ifyoulikeastrongerflavoryoucanmakeadecoctionbysimmering

the leaves and stems in a saucepan with 1½ cups of water for tenminutes.Strainandservewhilehot.

TeaBagFriends

•Mountainpepperisdeliciousblendedwithginger,forastrong-tasting,health-boostingtea.Puttwopinchesofmountainpepperandoneofgingerintoateabagorteapotandsteepasbefore.

•ForavitaminCboost,blendmountainpepperwithrosehips.Putapinchofrosehipsandapinchofmountainpepperintoasaucepanwith1½cupsofwater,cover,andsimmerfortentofifteenminutestomakeadecoction.Strainandservewhilehot.Thisisanaromatic,winter-warmingtea.

TIPS

Theleavesandblackberriescanbeusedasaspiceincurriesandstews.

NewJerseyTea

Ceanothusamericanus

Ceanothusamericanusisadeciduousshrubwithanuprightbutcompacthabit.ItisnativetosouthernCanadaandthecentralandeasternUnitedStates.ItisanendangeredspeciesinthestateofMaine,andwildplantsshould not be harvested. In New Jersey, when colonists needed asubstitute for heavily taxed imported tea, they turned to an abundantnativeplantandgaveitthenameNewJerseytea.

NewJersey teahasoval, serrated leaveswith leafveins running thelengthoftheleaf.Ithaslongredroots,whichgiveititscommonname,redroot. ItwasalsocalledmountainsnowbellorIndianteabeforetheAmerican Revolution. It has delicate creamywhite fragrant flowers inthesummer.Bees,hummingbirds,andbutterfliesloveCeanothusnectar.

MedicinalBenefits

New Jersey teawas used by theNative Americans to treat fevers andsorethroats.Itisalsothoughttobegoodforbronchialcomplaintssuchasasthma,whoopingcough,andtonsillitis.

ToGrow

Thisisalovelyplanttohaveinagardenborder.Itgrowstoamaximumheightof3feet(90cm),soplantittowardthemiddleorfrontofabed.In order to harvest this tea in your first year, buy a plant rather thangrowingfromseed.NewJerseyteahasalargerootsystemsoplantitinadeepcontainerorinthegarden.Itneedswell-drainedsoilandshouldbeplantedinasunnyorpartlyshadedspot.Itisnotaverythirstyplantandcanwithstandsomemilddroughtconditions,butaseveredroughtcancausepowderymildew.Therootshelptofixnitrogeninthesoil,soitisabeneficialplanttohaveinyourgarden.Feedwithliquidseaweedinthesummerifgrowingitinacontainer.Takecuttingstomakemoreplants in the late summer. New Jersey tea is a hardy plant but it isdeciduous, so itwill lose its leaves andbecomedormant in the coldermonths.Duringthistime,establishedplantscanbedugupanddividedtomakemoreplants.However,therootsgrowverydeeplysoitmaybedifficulttodivideandmoveiftheplantisveryestablished.Prunelightlyin theearly springandmulchwithbark in the summer. If youcannotfind Ceaonothus americanus you can also grow Ceanothus velutinus,commonlycalledtobaccobrush.Itisamuchlargershrub,growingupto13 feet (4meters) tall, butwill grow in similar conditions and canbeusedtomaketea.

ToHarvest

You can pick the leaves and young stems of the plant throughout thesummer,makingsuretoleaveenoughleavesontheplantsothatitcancontinuetogrow.Usetheleavesfreshordrythemforlateruse.Chopupthestemsandspreadthestemsandleavesoutonameshscreenortraytodry,turningthemeverysooften.Oncetotallydryandcrispy,storeinasealedglasscontainersomewheredryanddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

YoucanuseNewJerseyteafreshfromtheplantordryitforastrongertaste.Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursome intoyour teacupor teapot towarmitup.Discard thewater.Putaboutfivefreshordriedleavesandstemsintoateabagorteapot.Pourthe boiledwater (which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to 85°C)over the tea.Allow the tea to steep for threeminutes.Remove the teabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Enjoy.Thisteahasa lovelypaleyellowcolorandatastesimilartoaveryweakblacktea.

TeaBagFriends

Blendwithmyrtleforagreatcough-defensetea.PutapinchofmyrtleberriesandleavesandapinchofNewJerseytealeavesintoateabagorteapotandsteepfor3to4minutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Reusetheleavesfor2or3subsequentcups.

TIPS

RabbitsanddeerliketoeatthisCeanothus,especiallywhentheplantisyoung,soyoumayneedtoprotectyourplantwithwire.Theberriesarenotedibleandshouldnotbeusedforthetea.Otherusesfortheplantincludemakingsoapfromtheflowersandareddyefromitsroot.Ithasrecentlybeenfoundthattherootcontainsablood-clottingagent.

Raspberry

Rubusidaeus

NativetoEurope,theraspberryisasweet,soft,redfruit.Youcanmakeadeliciousandnutritiousteafromraspberryleaves,andthefruitcanbedried to add to the leaf tea. The summer-fruiting (standard) varietyproducesalotoffruitoverashortperiod.Alternatively,autumn-fruiting

oreverbearingvarietieswillproducea smaller crop,but last from latesummeruntilwinter.Bothwillprovideleavesthatcanbeusedforyourtea. Find a variety suitable to your garden size, soil type, and localclimate.Raspberryplantswillcontinuetofruitforatleasttwelveyearsifmaintainedproperly.

MedicinalBenefits

Raspberry leaves contain vitamins A, B, C, and E, calcium, andpotassium. It is a very good antioxidant and can help ease menstrualcrampsand relievediarrhea. It can strengthenyour immune system torelieve fluandcold symptomsandhelpease sore throats. Ifyoudrinkraspberry leaf teaduringpregnancy, it is believed tohelp exercise themusclesof theuterus toease labor.Alwaysconsultyourdoctorbeforetakingthisteaduringpregnancy,asitisnotadvisedinsomecases.

ToGrow

Raspberryplantsaregenerallysoldinthecoldermonthswhentheyaredormant, so don’t be surprised if they arrive looking like sticks withroots on the bottom. The sticks are called canes and often come barerooted (without pots). They are easy to find bymail order. Raspberryplantslikerich,well-drainedsoil,somixinlotsofwell-rottedmanureorhomemadegardencompost.Plant18inches(45cm)apartsothateachplanthasgoodventilationandsunlight.Chooseasunnyspotforthem.Ifyouareplantingasummer-fruitingvariety,youneedtotietheplanttoawiresupport.Autumn-fruiting varieties have a more compact, bushy shape. They

producefruitonone-year-oldstems,sotheydonotrequiresupportandare suitable for growing in a container. They have shallow, wide-reachingroots,somakesureyouhavealargeenoughpot(15inches/40cm)ormoreindiameter)toaccommodatethem,anddonotletthemdryout.Autumn-fruitingraspberrieswillneedtobeprunedinlatewinterorearlyspring;allstemsshouldbecutdowntotheground.Summer-fruitingraspberries fruitontwo-year-oldstems,soyouneed

toprune themmorecarefully. In theautumn,cutanyold,gray stems,which have already fruited, to ground level. Select about six of thestrongest newly grown stems and tie them to a support with string.Thesearethestemsthatwillbearfruitthefollowingyear.Cutdownanyotherstemssothattheplantislesscrowded.It is a good idea to mulch your raspberry plant with well-rotted

manureororganicgardencompostintheearlyspring,tofeedtheplantand help conserve moisture over the summer. Raspberries aresusceptible to a number of pests and diseases so keep an eye on yourplantandactquicklyifyoufindanything.Cutbackanydiseasedcanessoasnottoletitspread.Birdslovetoeatthefruit,soputnettingoveryourplantstoprotectthemifnecessary.

ToHarvest

Picktheyoungest, freshestnewleaves foracupof freshraspberry leaftea.Checkundertheleavesforbugssuchaswhitefly,andwashoffanyyou find. The plant should actually benefit from having some leavesremoved as itwill increase air ventilation and allowmore sunlight toreach the plant. Remove the leaves from the stems. Harvest the fruitswhentotallyripe(youcanpullthemofftheirstalkseasily).

TODRYTHELEAVES

Tospeedupthedryingprocess,cutuptheleaves.Experimentwiththesizeofthepieces,asitdoesaffecttheflavor.Spreadouttheleavesonaflat sieveor abaking tray andplace in awarm roomornear awarmradiator(seedrying).Whentheleavesaretotallydryandcrispy,transferthemtoasealedglasscontainerandstoreinthedarkuntilreadytouse.

TODRYTHEFRUIT

Asthefruitcontainalotofmoisture,theytakealongtimetofullydrysoneedtobedriedseparatelytotheleaves.Ifoundadehydratortobethemost efficient way of drying raspberries as they retain their colorandshapereallywell.Placethefruitonadehydratortraywiththestemholedownwardanddrythemuntilhard.Alternatively,spreadthefruitoutonabakingsheetandplacethemintheovensetataverylowtemperatureofaround100°F(around50°C)todry for about 6 hours, turning them carefully every few hours. It isimportant that they are fully dry otherwise they will go moldy. Thefruits should be very hard and light and should not be squeezable. Iftheyaresqueezable,dry themfor longer.Whensure theyaredry,youcan store the fruits (separately from the leaves) in a sealed glasscontainer somewhere dry and dark until needed

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot towarm it up. Discard thewater. Put twopinchesoffreshordriedraspberryleavesintoateabag.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabag(savingitforanothercup)orpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Teamade from dried raspberry leaf will have a stronger taste and darkeryellow color. It has a lovely depth of flavor not unlike an oolong tea.Youcanaddthefruittotheleaftomakeafruity-tastingtea.Crushthedried fruits in a mortar and pestle and put them into the tea bag orteapotwiththeraspberryleaf.Steepasbeforeandservewithacoupleoffreshraspberriesinthecup.

TeaBagFriends

•Tryblendingraspberryleafwithcardamomleaf.Putapinchofraspberryleafandatinypinchofcardamomintoateabagorteapot.Steepandserveasbeforeforabig-tastingdeliciousteaandagreatdefenseagainstcolds.

•Usefreshraspberriestomakeasweetsuntea.Halffillamasonjarwithfreshfruitandtornupfreshleavesand,addcoldwater,andclosethelid.Leaveindirectsunforuptofivehours,stirringorshakingeverysooften.Thenstrainthroughafine-meshsieveoranylonjellybag(usedforstrainingjamsandjellies)andservewarm,orrefrigerateandservechilledwithice.

TIPS

Garglewithcoldraspberryleafteatoeaseasorethroat.

Rosemary

Rosmarinusofficinalis

“MissJessopp’sUpright”

RosemaryisaMediterraneanherb,theflowersandleavesofwhichcanbe used to make tea. It is an evergreen shrub, with pointed narrowleavesandsmallmauve,pink,orsometimeswhiteflowersthatbloominthe spring and summer, depending on the variety. There are lots of

cultivatedvarietiestochoosefrom,includingtrailingvarietiesandlow-growing varieties. I recommend “Miss Jessopp’s Upright,” as it is alovely neat compact variety. Any Rosmarinus officinalis is suitable formakingtea.There is a lot of recorded history about rosemary. It has been usedsincetheMiddleAgesinbridalbouquetsasasymbolofloveandfidelity.In the fourteenth century, thieves were thought to be purged of thedesire to stealwhen their feetwerewashedwithrosemary. It isalsoasymbol of remembrance, and servicemen often carry a sprig toremember lost friendships. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says,“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” It is still one of ourmostwell-usedandlovedherbs.

MedicinalBenefits

Rosemaryisantiseptic,anti-inflammatory,andagoodantioxidant.It isbelievedtohelpwithheadaches,colds,anddepression.Itmaystimulatethenervous systemand circulation, and as a resultmay improve yourmemory.Rosemary tea isanenergy-givingdigestive tonic,andagreatteatokeepyouhealthy.

ToGrow

Youcangrowrosemaryfromseedbutitisslow,andyourplantmaynotgrowtruetoitsvariety.Rosemarytakesafewyearstoflower.Ifyoubuyaplanttobeginwith,youwillbeabletotryrosemaryteainyourfirstyear.Theplantsarefairlyeasytogrow,aslongasyoudonotoverwaterthem.Rosemarycanbegrowninacontaineronabalconyorpatio.Aswithallplants,increasethepotsizeastheplantgrows.Useanorganicpottingsoilorcompostwithamixofgritorperlitetohelpimprovethedrainage. Alternatively, rosemary can provide great structure to aflowerbed. It likes the sun, so choose a sunny location. It is a greatcompanionplantinavegetablegardenasitmayhelpkeepawaycarrotfly and cabbage moths. “Miss Jessopp’s Upright” is quite a woodyvariety, but regular harvesting for tea will keep the plant neat andbushy.Itcanevenbeshapedintoalowhedge.Certain varieties of rosemary can be sensitive to frosts, so theymay

need to be protected with a fleece or brought into an unheatedgreenhouse or similar space for the colder months. The easiest andcheapestway togetmorerosemaryplants isby takingcuttings. In thelatespring,take4-to6-inch(10to15cm)longcuttingsofnewgrowth.

ToHarvest

The flower tops are themostmedicinal part of the rosemaryplant, soharvest these to make tea. Make sure you only harvest leaves andflowersthathavegrownsinceyouhavebeenlookingaftertheplant,tobe sure no chemicals have been used on them. Strip the leaves andflowers from the woody stems. They are ready to be used for freshrosemaryteaorcanbedriedandstoredforlateruse.Todryrosemary,spread out the leaves and flowers on a baking sheet and set themsomewhere warm or dry them in a dehydrator.When totally dry andcrispy, store in a sealed glass container somewheredry anddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putapinchofrosemaryflowersandleavesintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasaucerora lid to traptheamazingaroma.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabag,orpourtheteafromthe teapot using a tea strainer, and enjoy. The tea has a pale yellowcolor,adeliciousstrongpineflavor,andacomforting,warmingaroma.

TeaBagFriends

•Saffronisamazingwithrosemary.Putapinchofrosemaryandfourorfivestrandsofsaffronintoateabagandsteepasbefore.Thisteahasastrongflavorandastrongyellowcolor.

•Blendwithblueberriesforhealthyantioxidanttea.Putapinchofrosemarywithapinchofcrushedblueberriesintoateabagorteapotandpouronboiledwater.Coverandinfuseasbefore.

TIPS

Rosemarygivesoffitslovelyaromawhenitisburnedonagrilloropenfire.Theperfectrelaxingendtoasummerevening.

Warning:Rosemaryisnottobeusedbywomenwhoarepregnantorbreastfeedingandshouldbeusedinmoderationbyall.

Sage

TangerineSage(Salviaelegans“TangerineSage”)

PineappleSage(Salviaelegans“ScarletPineapple”)

Forcenturies,sagehasbeenusedbymanyculturesasamedicinalherb.Commonsage(Salviaofficinalis)canalsobeusedasaninfusion,anditis

believedtohavemanymedicinalproperties.However,eventhoughitishardy and easier to grow than S. elegans, I find the taste a littleoverpowering,andpreferthefruitflavorsofthesetwotypes.Pineapplesage has pointed, oval-shaped green leaves that smell strongly ofpineapple. Tangerine sage has lovely rounded, heart-shaped greenleaves. Both of these plants produce long, bright red, trumpet-shapedflowersinautumnandintoearlywinter.Sageislovedbyhummingbirdsandbees.

MedicinalBenefits

TheRomansbelievedthatsagehelpedimprovememory,healinfections,and cure snakebites! Theword salvia comes from the Latin salvere, tosave,soitissafetosayitisgoodforyourgeneralwell-being.

ToGrow

Start with a small plant, as this type of Salvia cannot be grown fromseed.Tangerineandpineapplesagegrowvigorouslyandcanreach3to4 feet (1 meter) tall in the right location and climate. It likes well-drained, moist soil and a warm, sheltered position. Salvia elegans is asemi-hardy perennial and can be killed off by hard frosts andtemperatures lower than 5°F (-15°C). If you live in an area thatexperiences these low temperatures,youcaneitherwrapyourplant infleeceorbringtheplantinsidewhereitmayevencontinuetoflower.Ifitisplantedinagarden,mulcharoundthebaseoftheplantbeforethefrostsarrive.Youcangrowthissageeasilyinapot,anditcanbekeptinside all year around.Repot theplant into a larger pot every year togiveitroomtogrow.Cutbackoldstemsintheearlyspringtopromotenewfreshgrowth.Waterwellandfeedthroughoutthesummer.Itiseasytotakesoftwoodcuttingsinthespringsothatyouhaveasupplyoffreshyoungplants.Sageisrabbit-anddeer-proof,butslugsandsnailslikethesmallplants.Eithersetabeertrapnearbyorliftthepotstouncovertheculprits.

ToHarvest

Theflavoroftheevergreenleaveswillchangedependingonthetimeofyear.Pluckleavesoffasyouneedthemorcutofflargerstemstoharvestmanyleavesinonego.Picktheflowerstoaccompanytheleaves,astheyretaintheircolorandlookbeautiful.To dry pineapple and tangerine sage, spread out the leaves and

flowers on a fine-mesh flat sieve or baking sheet and set themsomewherewarm andwell ventilated to dry for twenty-four hours, oruntil totally dry (see air drying). Store in a sealed glass containersomewheredryanddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot towarm it up. Discard thewater. Put twopinchesoffreshordriedsageleavesandflowersintoateabagorteapot.Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to85°C) over the tea and coverwith a saucer or a lid. Allow the tea tosteep for threeminutes, then remove the teabagorpour the tea fromthe teapot using a tea strainer. Enjoy. Add some fresh flowers for astrikingcupoftea.Sageteaisdeliciousicedandcanbeservedwithicecubesandasliceoffreshpineappleorfreshorange.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendpineappleortangerinesagewithlemonbalmforamemory-boostingtea.Putapinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandsteepasbefore.

•Blendpineapplesagewithfreshordriedlemonbysimplyplacingalemonsliceintheteacuptosteepandthenserve.

TIPS

Youcanalsofindblackcurrantsage(Salviamicrophyllavar.microphylla),whichhassmallergreenleaves,butisequallygoodformakingdelicioustea.

ScentedPelargonium(ScentedGeranium)

Pelargonium

Scented pelargoniums, also called scented geraniums, are a tenderperennial native to South Africa. There are many types of scentedpelargonium with scents as varied as lavender, coconut, chocolatepeppermint, cinnamon, cola, and black pepper. I have painted(clockwise from left): “Attar of Roses” top, which has a fragrant rose

scent and mauve flowers, “Mabel Grey,”which has a glorious lemonscent and dark mauve flowers, the magnificent “Tomentosum,” whichhas huge, velvety, peppermint flavored leaveswith tinywhite flowersandfinally“PrinceofOrange,”whichhasacitrusorangescentandpalepurple flowers.The flowershaveamildperfume in comparison to theincrediblystrongscentoftheleaves.The Victorians loved scented pelargoniums and are thought to beresponsible for the confusion in the misnaming of pelargoniums asgeraniums.TruegeraniumsarehardyherbaceousplantsintheGeraniumgenus (not the Pelargonium genus). They are sometimes called hardygeraniums,orcranesbill.Ihavechosentouse“scentedgeraniums”inthetitleofthischapterbecause“scentedpelargoniums”areoftenincorrectlynamed as such. Standard garden pelargoniums and ivy-leavedpelargoniumsarenotscented,andarenotsuitableformakingtea.Ifindoubt,searchyoursupplierfor“scentedpelargoniums”!

MedicinalBenefits

Scented pelargonium is believed to be good for calming the body andrelieving stress and anxiety. It is antibacterial so may help withstomachachesanddiarrhea.Itmayalsohelpwitharthritispain.

ToGrow

Scentedpelargoniumsaregenerallyaneasyplant togrow. It is easiestand most reliable to start from small plants. There are some trailingvarietiessuitableforhangingbasketsandsomethatarelow-growing,sochooseonesuitabletoyourlocation.Theydonotlikefullsunallday,soifyou live inahotclimate,plant themsomewherewhere theywillbeshadedforpartoftheday.Theyneedfourtofivehoursofsunlightadayandlikeanaveragetemperatureofabout70°F(21°C).Theyaretenderperennials,sotheywillnotsurviveatemperaturebelow40°F(5°C).Theeasiestwaytogrowthem,ifyoulivewheretherearefrosts,isin

pots so that you canbring them into a greenhouse or a sunny spot inyourownhouseforthewinter.Theyarehappyinsideasahouseplantaslong as they have enough light—otherwise, they may become leggy(spindly).Youdonotneedtowaterthemasmuchinthewinterbecausethe plant will become semi-dormant. If they do not have goodventilation, they can be susceptible to whitefly. Keep checkingunderneath the leaves, and if you findwhitefly, immediatelypinchofftheinfectedleavesanddiscardthem.Youcanalsospraytheplantwithagarlicspray,ifnecessary.Itisimportanttokeepincreasingthepotsizetogivetheplantroomtogrow.Mixsomeperliteor finegrit intoyourpotting soil ormultipurpose compost to improvedrainage.You shouldfeedyourgeraniumsanorganicfertilizersuchasseaweedonceamonthduring the spring and summer.Deadhead the flowerswhen they havewitheredtohelpconservetheplant’senergy.Pelargoniumsarequicktogrow fromcuttings.Thecuttingsneed lotsof lightand like tobekeptmoist,butnotsoggy,astheycanrotoff.Donotcoverthecuttingswithaplasticbag.

ToHarvest

Youcanharvest the leavesandflowersatanytimeduringthewarmergrowingmonths.Harvestwhileyouarepruningyourplant,asthiswillkeepitbushyandhealthy.Lookatyourplantandcutoffanystemsthataretoolongorareoutofshape.Plucktheleavesfromthestems.Theyarereadytobeusedfreshorcanbedriedforlateruse.Todrytheplantto use throughout the year, spread out the leaves on a flat sieve orbakingsheetandplaceinawarmroomorneararadiator.Alternatively,use a dehydrator.When the plant is totally dry and crispy, store in asealedglasscontainersomewheredryanddarkuntilneeded

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putthreeorfourfreshordriedpelargoniumleavesandsmallpartsofstalkintoateabagorteapot.Teartheleavesintosmallerpiecesiftheyarelarge.Pourthe boiledwater (which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to 85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralid.Allowtheteatosteepforthree to fourminutes. (The leaveswill discolorwhen the hotwater ispouredoverthem).Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusinga tea strainerandenjoy.Youcanalsoaddapelargoniumflowerbeforeserving.The flavorwilldependuponyour typeofpelargonium,butwhicheveryouchooseitwillbeaflavorsomeandrelaxingdrink.Scentedpelargoniumsmakealovelyicedtea.Brewalargeramountas

aboveandallow it to cool, thenchill it in the refrigerator. Servewithpelargoniumflowersfrozeninicecubesforabeautifulfragrantsummertea.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendwithblackteatocreatemanydifferentfragrantteas.Mixsomedriedscentedpelargoniumsintoasealedcontainerofblacktea.Keepitoutofthelightandallowtheflavortoinfuseoverafewweeks.Thismakesalovelypresent,too.

•Chamomileblendedwithlemon-scentedpelargoniumisagreatcalmingteatohelpwithanxiety.Placeapinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandsteepasbefore.

•Forastress-beatingtea,blendtulsiwithalemon-ororange-scentedpelargonium.Putasmallpinchoftulsiandalargerpinchofscentedpelargonium(oneortwoleaves)intoateabagorteapotandsteepasbefore.Anaromatic,warming,andfeel-goodtea.

TIPS

Youcanputdriedscentedpelargoniumintoacottonbagandleaveitinadrawertohelpkeepmothsaway.

Warning:Somepeoplemayexperienceskinirritationwhenhandlingscentedpelargoniums,sousewithcaution.

Stevia

Steviarebaudiana

Stevia is a tender shrub with long rounded leaves and small whiteflowers. It is also called sweet leaf or sugar leaf and is many timessweeter than normal sugar. This small shrub is a native of Paraguay,where it has been used by the indigenous population for hundreds ofyears.ItwasfirstprocessedintoafoodsweetenerinJapanin1971andisnowcultivatedandprocessedinmanycountries.

MedicinalBenefits

Stevia can help with weight loss, as it contains no calories. It is anextremelyuseful sugaralternative fordiabetics.Aswithallplants,usewith caution and never use for a serious condition without firstconsultingyourdoctor.

ToGrow

Itisrecommendedtostartgrowingsteviafromasmallplantorplug,asgerminatingtheseedscanbeslowandunreliable.Onceestablished,theplants growquicklybut are tender andwill not survive a temperaturemuch lower than 40°F (4°C). Plant stevia in your garden in a sunnyposition.Diguptheplantsandbringtheminsideduringthecoldmonthsunlessyouliveinatropicalclimate.Youcanalsogrowsteviainpotssotheyare easier tobring inside in thewinter.Placeonawindowsill orsomewherewarmwithgoodlight.Theylikerich,well-drainedsoilandneeda lotofwater,but theydonot like tobewaterlogged.Feedyourstevia plantswith an organic fertilizer, such as seaweed, every spring.They are susceptible to greenfly so mix up a garlic spray or buy anorganichorticulturalsoapandkeepaneyeoutforthesepests.Slugsandsnailsalso lovesteviasokeep itoutof theirreach, ifpossible,and layeggshells or grit around the base of your plant. The sweetness of theplantcandiminishafterthreeorfouryearssoit isagoodideatotakesome cuttings in the early summer to get some new plants after thistime.

ToHarvest

Thesweetnessofsteviawillvaryandtendstobestrongest later intheautumn before the plant flowers and goes to seed. Remove the leavesfromtheirstemsandcheckthattheyareclearofinsects.Theleavescanbeusedfreshorcanbedriedforlateruse.Ifyouareharvestingleavestostore for latermonths, cut off longer stems (about 5 inches long) andhang them upside down to dry for a week. Alternatively, remove theleavesfromthethickstemsanddrythemonabakingsheetsomewherewarm and well ventilated or in a dehydrator. Once totally dry andcrispy, store in a sealed glass container somewheredry anddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Stevia has a rather insignificant flavor, but an amazingly sweetaftertaste.Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putfiveorsixfreshordriedleavesintoateabagorteapot.Driedsteviaisstrongerincolorandflavorthanfreshsovarythequantityaccordingtoyour taste.Pour theboiledwater (which shouldbebetween176 to185°F/80 to 85°C) over the tea and allow to steep for three to fourminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.

TeaBagFriends

Steviaisbestwhenitisusedtosweetenotherplantsandcanbeusedtosweetenanyoftheteasinthisbook.Mint,lemonbalm,rosehip,andpineapplesageareespeciallygoodwhenmixedwithstevia.Justaddapinchofsteviatotheteabag,teapot,orbreweddecoctionandsteepasinstructedbefore.

TIPS

Thereisalotofresearchtakingplaceintothisplantsothatitsuseasafoodingredientcanbeguaranteedassafe.

SweetTeaVine

Gynostemmapentaphyllum

SweetteavineisnativetoChinaandSoutheastAsiaandisalsoknownas jiaogulan (pronounced JOW-goo-lawn),whichmeans twistedvine inChinese.InChina,researchwascarriedoutintoitsuseasanalternativesweetener,butscientistsdiscoveredsomethingmuchmoreimportant.Inthe leaves, they found special compounds called saponins, known tobenefit the immune system. There are many more saponins in

Gynostemma than inginseng,and it isoften referred toas“poorman’sginseng.”Sweetteavineisagreatteatotakeasabodytonicforoverallgood health. It is known as the “immortality herb” and “miracle tea”because of the belief that it can prolong life and act as a cure-all. AcensusinChinaalsorevealedanareawheretherewasanunusuallyhighlife expectancy, and itwas found that thepeople therewere regularlyconsumingjiaogulan.Gynostemma is from the Cucurbitaceae family, which includescucumbers and gourds. Its bright green leaves have serrated edges,covered in white hairs, and they can have up to five leaflets. It hastightly curled tendrils that help the plant to attach itself to nearbystructuresforsupport.

MedicinalBenefits

Gynostemma is used as a preventative herb to strengthen the immunesystem. Known as an adaptogenic herb by herbalists, it regulates thefunctionsofthebodytohelpkeepabalancebetweenthefivesystems:cardiovascular,digestive,immune,nervous,andreproductive.Itmayhelplowerbloodpressureandcholesterolandisbelievedtobe

a powerful antioxidant to help the body fight free radicals. It canincreaseenergylevelsandmayhelpwithstress,depression,andanxiety,aswellashelpingwithjet lag. Itcontainsmanyvitaminsandmineralsincludingcalcium,iron,magnesium,zinc,potassium,andselenium.Useregularly to feel the full effects, but as with all the teas, consume inmoderation.

ToGrow

Sweet tea vine can be grown in the ground, up awall trellis, or in acontainer.Buyaplantearlyinthespringtostartoffandrepotifnecessary.Feed

withanorganicseaweedfertilizerifyouarekeepingitinapot.Ifyouareplantingitinyourgarden,mixsomesharpsandorhorticulturalgritintothesoiltohelpimprovedrainage.Itwouldalsobenefitfromsomeseaweedgranulesbeingmixedintothesoil.Eventhoughitpreferswell-drained soil, it also likes it roots to be kept moist, so water wellthroughout the summer. Place it in partial shade in hotter climates astheleavescanwiltquicklyifitistoowarm.Whentheplantissmall,itsleaveswilldieoffwithafrost.Ifgrowing

sweet tea vine in a container, protect it from frost by putting a fewlayersofhorticulturalfleeceovertheplantorbringingitinsideintoanunheatedgreenhouseorconservatory.Onceestablished,theplantrootswillbetolerantoftemperaturesaslowas0°F(-17°C).Infrost-freeareasitmaygrowallyearround.Plantsareeithermaleorfemale,soyouneedtogrowoneofeach inorder for themtoproduceseeds.However, theclimate and light levels may not be sufficient for them to produceflowersandseedsanyway.Theeasiestwaytopropagatesweetteavineistoallowtheplantstemstogrowalongthesoil.Thesestemsorrunnerswill then produce roots that grow down into the soil. Once these areestablished,cutoffthestemfromtheparentplantandpotthenewplantinamixofwell-drainingpottingsoil.Itcanbecomeinvasive,sogrowinacontainerifyouwanttorestrictitfromspreading.

ToHarvest

It isbest towaituntilyourplant is reallyestablished,preferablymorethantwoyearsold,beforeyouharvest.Yourplantshouldbewellgrownandready toharvest in thesummermonths.Cut thenumberof leavesrequiredatthebaseoftheleaf,makingsureenoughremainsothattheplant can continue togrow. If yourplant is growingalong thegroundyoumayneedtowashtheleavesbeforeuse.Usetheleavesfreshordrythemforlateruse.Laytheleavesonabakingtrayorinaflatsieveandplace in a warm room or near a radiator turning every so often.Alternativelyuseadehydrator.When totallydryandcrispy, store inasealedglasscontainersomewheredryanddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyour teacupor teapot towarmitup.Discard thewater.Put threefreshleavesoronepinchofdriedsweetteavineinateacuporteapot.Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to85°C)overthetea.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes,thenremovetheteabag(andsetitasidetouseforsubsequentcups)orpourtheteafrom the teapotusinga tea strainer.Youcanputone fresh leaf in thecup todrink.The teahasa lovelymellowsweetness, similar to stevia,andafreshgreenflavor,withaveryslightbitteraftertaste.Itisalovelyrelaxingcupoftea.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendwithlavenderforageneraloverallgoodhealthtea.Putapinchoflavenderflowersandapinchofsweetteavineleavesintoateabagorteapot,cover,andsteepasbefore.

•Blendwithjasmineflowersforapossibleantiagingtea.Puttwopinchesofsweetteavineandapinchofjasmineflowersintoateabagorteapot,cover,andsteepasbefore.

•Blendgingerwithsweetteavineforabody-balancingtea.Putapinchofsweetteavineandasmallpinchofgingerintoateabagorteapot,cover,andsteepasbefore.Thismaybeagoodteatohelprecoveryafteroverexertion.

TIPS

Youcanusefreshsweetteavineleavesinasalad.

Thyme

LemonCurdThyme(Thymusserpyllum“LemonCurd”)

VariegatedLemonThyme(Thymusxcitriodorus“Variegatus”)

OrangeThyme(Thymuscitriodorus“Fragrantissimus”)

ThymeisnativetosouthernEuropeandwasusedbytheAncientGreeksand the Romans for medicinal purposes. It is an evergreen perennialwith small rounded leaves, which are highly aromatic. It has smallpurple,pink,orwhiteflowers,whichthebeeslove.YoucangetuprightorcreepingvarietiesbutIhavechosenthreethatarelovelyformakingorange-orlemon-flavoredtea.

MedicinalBenefits

Thymecontainsessentialoilsandisknowntobeanantiseptic.Itisgoodforcoldsandcoughsandisbelievedtohelpfightphlegmandinfections.Itmayhelpwithstressanddepressionanditcanhelpbeatahangover.

ToGrow

You can start growing thyme from seed in the spring. Follow theinstructions on the seed packet for your own particular variety. Theseedsare tiny so theywill onlyneeda thin layerofpotting soil siftedover them. Theymay not grow true to type from seed so it is best tostart off with a small plant. Think of the Mediterranean to helpunderstand the perfect conditions to grow thyme: well-drained, poor(low in nutrients) soil, and a sunny position. Pot in a mixture of 50percentpottingsoiland50percentgritorperlitetocreatewell-drainedsoil.Keepthymeonthedrysideandwatersparingly.Ihave losta lotofplantsduringwet,cold,andfrostyweather,even

thoughmostspeciesarelistedashardy.Ifyouliveinacoldclimate,youmayneedtoprotectyourthymeplantsinthewinter.Eithercoverthemwith a horticultural fleece, or move the plants inside an unheatedgreenhouseorsomewherethatgetslightbutisprotectedfromthefrosts.Thymecanbecomeverywoody,sotrytokeeptheplanttrimmedbackafterithasflowered,usinganygreenleavesfromthetrimmingsfortea.In the springtime you can divide established plants. Dig them up andcarefully pull apart the roots so you have smaller, but still good-sizedplantstogrowon.

ToHarvest

Youneedaplantthatisafewyearsoldtoreallyhaveenoughfoliagetouseinthefirstyear.Bysummertheplantshouldbefulloflovelyfreshleavesthataresuitableforharvesting.Clipoffsomestemswithscissors.Strip the leaves off the stemsor cut up the very fresh stems touse aswell.Usefresh,ordryonameshscreeninawarmandwell-ventilatedplace, on a tray in an oven or dehydrator.When completely dry andcrispy store in a sealed glass container somewhere dry and dark untilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fresh thymehasmore flavor thandried, souse it fresh in thewarmermonthswhenitisavailable.Ithasthemostflavorbeforeithasflowered.Fill thekettlewith freshwater.Bring thewater toaboil, thenpour

some intoyour teacupor teapot towarmitup.Discard thewater.Putthreeorfourpinchesofleavesintoateabagorteapotandcoverwithalidorasaucertohelpcontainthearoma.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.Allowtheteatosteep for three to fourminutes.Removethe teabagorpour the teafrom the teapotusinga tea strainer. It ispaleyellow in colorwithanaromaticlemonororangeflavorandmakesawarmingteatodrinkonacoldnight.

TeaBagFriends

•Trysweeteningthisteawithsteviabyplacingonepinchofsteviaintheteabagorteapotalongwiththethyme.

•Youcanblendthearomatictasteofthymewithrosehipsforacoughandcolddefense.Strainarosehipdecoctionintoateacupcontainingateabagofthymeandsteepfor3minutes,coveringwithasaucertocontainthearoma.Removetheteabaganddrink(seeRoseHip).

•Blendapinchofthymeandapinchofsweetteavineforahangover-relievingtea.

TIPS

Therearemanyothertypesofthymesuchaslavender,geranium,ormint,whichalsomakewonderfulteas.

Tulsi/HolyBasil

Ocimumtenuiflorum/Ocimumsanctum

Tulsi is native to Asia and has been used as a medicinal herb forthousands of years. For Hindus it represents the goddess Tulasi, whokilled herself after being fooled into betraying her husband. It is a

symbolof love, eternal life, andprotection. It is grown inmostHinduhouseholds,aswellasplantedaroundsacredtemples.Itisalsorespectedbymanyotherreligionsandcultures.Tulsihasaverystrongtasteofcloveswithahintofaniseandmint.This speciesofbasil is aperennial andcangrowup to3 feet (90 cm)tall. It has small pale pink flowers in the summer and oval-shaped,green,highlyaromaticleaves.

MedicinalBenefits

Tulsicontainsessentialoils,thecompoundsofwhichholdmanyhealthbenefits. It is believed to be antibacterial, antiseptic, and a greatantioxidant. Itmayhelpimprovedigestion, lowerafever,andregulateyour blood pressure. It helps fight off colds and flu and is believed toboost your immune system. It is also commonly used to relieve stressandtension.

ToGrow

It iseasiest tobuyatulsiplant inthespring.Astheplantgrows,keeprepotting it intoa slightly larger containereach time. It likesnutrient-rich, well-drained sandy soil. Move plants outside during the summermonths into a sunny and sheltered position. Feed every two weeksduring the growing season with an organic fertilizer. If you like achallengeyoucangrowtulsifromseedbutitisveryslowanddifficulttogerminate. Plant the seeds inside from February onward. Use a goodseed-startingmixof60percentcompostorseed-sowingcompostand40percentperliteorsharpsand,ifitisnotalreadyinthemix.Keepthesoilmoistbutnotsaturatedastheycaneasilyrotiftheyaretoowet.Bring tulsi inside during thewinter as they are tender andwill not

surviveafrost.Placeonasunnywindowsillwheretheycangetlotsoflight,anddonotoverwater.Inmoretemperateclimates,lowlightlevelsinthewintermaynotbesufficientfortulsitosurvive.Youmayhavetotreatitasanannualandbuyanewplanteveryspring.Ifyouliveinamoretropicalclimate,tulsiishappyplantedoutsideallyearroundinasunnyspotwithmoistsoil. It issusceptibletowhitefly,sokeepaneyeon the underside of the leaves. Squash any you see before they get achancetomultiply.Youcanalsouseahomemadegarlicspray.

ToHarvest

Cutoffthestemsandpluckofftheleaves, flowers,andsoftstems.Useallthesepartsforacupoffreshtulsitea.To dry tulsi, break stems into smaller pieces. Put the stems, leaves,

andflowersonatrayorflatsieveinawarmroom,neararadiator,inanovenordehydrator.Whentotallydryandcrispy,storeinasealedglasscontainersomewheredryanddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot towarm it up. Discard thewater. Put twopinchesoffreshordriedtulsileaves,flowers,andstemsintoateabagorteapot. Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainerandenjoy.Keeptheleavestomakeanothercup.Thisisareallystrong-tasting and reviving tea and abeautiful tea tomake in a glass teapot.Youcanmaketulsiintoarefreshingicedteainthesummer.Makeupajugofteabyincreasingtheamountoftulsiaccordingtothesizeofthecontainer.Placeinthefridgeuntilchilled.Servewithiceandfreshtulsiflowers.

TeaBagFriends

Forastress-beatingtea,blendtulsiwithalemon-ororange-scentedpelargonium.Putasmallpinchoftulsiandalargerpinchofscentedpelargonium(oneortwoleaves)intoateabagorteapotandsteepasbefore.Anaromatic,warming,andfeel-goodtea.

Blendwithadecoctionofangelicaforateatohelpdigestion.Putapinchofdriedorfreshtulsiintoafreshlymadedecoctionof angelica (see angelica). Allow the tulsi three minutes toinfuse and then strain the tea through a tea strainer into ateacup.

TIPS

Therearemanyothertypesofbasil,suchascinnamon,lime,

Greekbasil,orsweetbasil,thatcanbeusedtomaketea.Theydonothavethesamemedicinalqualitiesastulsi,buttheyhavewonderfulflavors.

SEEDS

Cilantro/Coriander

Coriandrumsativum

CilantroiscalledcorianderintheUK,andChineseorJapaneseparsleyinAsia.Itisahighlyaromaticherb,usedwidelyincookingallovertheworld.ItbelongstotheApaiceaeorUmbelliferaefamily,whichincludes

parsley,angelica,andfennel.Itisanamazinglyusefulplant,asyoucaneat its shoots, leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots. It has a long recordedhistory, stretchingback to theBronzeAgeandpossiblyevenearlier. Itwas found insideTutankhamen’s tomb, intended to accompanyhim tothe afterlife. Cilantro was one of the first herbs to be planted byEuropeancolonistsinNorthAmericain1670.Itisanannualplant,soitcompletesitslifecycleinayear,butitisaspeedyannualandcangrow flowersandcome into seedveryquickly.Thisisfrustratingifyouareonlyusingtheleaves,butgreatifyouneedtheseeds.For tea,youprimarilyuse theseeds (calledcoriander in theUS), but the leaves add a depth of flavor. The seeds begin as lovelysmall,glossy,roundgreenfruitsthatturnbrownastheydry.

MedicinalBenefits

Cilantro has been used as a digestive aid for many years, by manydifferent cultures. Itmay help the body to absorb nutrients and expelharmful toxins. It is an antibacterial plant, too, and has been used tohelpthebodyrecoverafterfoodpoisoning.

ToGrow

Youcanbuysmallstarterplantsofcoriander,butitiseasytogrowfromseed. It iseasiest to sowtheseedsdirectly into theground,ascilantrodoes not like being transplanted. Plant inwell-drained,moist soil in apartly shaded spot. Spread the seeds liberally over the soil and coverwithabout¼inch(1cm)ofsoil.Keepsowingcilantrothroughouttheseason so thatyoucanhavea continuous supply, as it is a short-livedherb. You can grow cilantro in a pot as long as it is deep enough toaccommodateitstaproot(aminimumof12inches/30cm).Waterwell,especiallyifgrowingitinacontainer.

ToHarvest

Cilantroteaisbestifitisamixofseedsandleaves.Theleavesbecomemorefeatheryastheplantgetsbigger,soyouwillneedtoharvestthembeforethishappens.Harvesttheleavesanddrythematanearliertimethantheseeds.Pickingtheleaveswillprolongthelifeoftheplantanddelay it going to seed, too. Make sure you do not harvest too manyleaves to allow the plant to continue to grow to produce its whiteflowersandthentheseeds.Itisbesttolettheseedsstarttoturnbrownanddryoutwhilestillontheplantbeforeyouharvestthem.Howyouharvestcilantrowilldependonhowyouwanttodryit.You

cancutlongstemsoffifyouwouldliketohangtheseedsupsidedowntodry.Tieasmallbunchwitharubberbandtokeeptheherbboundasitdriesandshrinks.Ifyouprefertodrytheseedsflat,pickthemoffofthestemsoncetheyhaveturnedlightbrownandplacethemonafine-meshscreen.Theleavescanbeleftontheirstemsanddriedwhole.Theykeepalovelygreencolorwhendriedinadehydrator.Whentotallydry,cilantrocanbestoredinasealedcontaineruntilneeded.Youcanusetheseeds when they are still green for a different-tasting cup of freshcilantrotea.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyour teacup towarmitup.Discard thewater.Grindabout fifteenseedsinamortarandpestle.Putthecrushedseedsandtwopinchesofdriedleavesintoateabagorteapot.Theleavesaddasweetflavorandturntheteaalovelyyellowcolor.Thedriedseedshaveastronglemonyrose flavor. Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralidtoretainthearoma.Allowtheteatosteepforfourminutes.Removetheteabagorpourfromtheteapotusingateastrainerandenjoythisreallyrelaxingaromatictea.

TeaBagFriends

•Tryblendingapinchofcilantroseedswithasmallpinchoffennelseedsforastrongdigestivetea.Crushtheseedstogetherinamortarandpestleandthenaddthemtoyourteabagorteapot.

•Tomakeareallydeliciousdetoxtea,blendtwopinchesofcrushedcilantroseedswithapinchofcalendula.

•Tryblendingangelicawithcilantroseeds.Youcanaddapinchofangelicaroottoapinchofcrushedcilantroseedsandbrewthemasadecoction(seeAngelica).Agreatdigestivetea.

TIPS

Cilantromaybesusceptibletomildewifallowedtodryout,sokeepaneyeonyourplantsandremoveanyinfectedleavesimmediately.Donotcompostthediseasedleaves.

Fennel

Foeniculumvulgare

Fennelgrowswild inmanypartsofEuropeandNorthAmerica,and ithas been usedwidely as amedicinal herb for hundreds of years. Theleavesandseedscanbeusedtomakeawonderfulaniseed-flavoredtea.

Itisaperennial,whichmeansthatitlivesformorethantwoyears,butitwilldiebackafter ithasgone to seed in theautumn. Inaddition togreen fennel, you can find bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare“Purpureum”) and a deep burgundy-colored fennel called Foeniculumvulgare“Rubrum,”Theyareallsuitabletouseforfenneltea.

MedicinalBenefits

Fennelisanantioxidantandcancalmyourdigestionandeasestomachproblems. It can clear congestion associated with colds and sinusproblems and may help lower blood pressure. It can reduce yourappetiteandthereforecanhelpwithweightloss.

ToGrow

Fennel is easy to grow from seeds. Sow your seeds in the springtimewhen theweatherhas started towarm.You can start your seeds on awindowsillinsmallpots,orsowthemdirectlyoutsideinagardenoradeep container when the frosts have passed. If you have grown theseedlings inside, transplant them when the roots have just started toappearthroughthebottomofthetrayorpot.Fennellikestobeplantedin a sunny spot inwell-drained and fertile soil. It does not like to beoverwatered.Once youhave a fennel plant established in your gardenyoucandivideittomakemoreplantsifyouwish.Youmayfinditself-seeds easily and new fennel plants can pop up all over your garden.Grow fennel in a largepot, aminimumof12 inches (30 cm)deep, inorder to contain the spread of this plant, and collect the seeds beforetheyhaveachancetodrop.

ToHarvest

Thefennelplanthassmallumbrella-likearrangementsofyellowflowersfromlatesummertimetoearly fall.Allowthe flowerspetals todieoff,leaving the tiny oval seed pods. Thesewill turn fromgreen to brown,withridgesalongeachseed.Whentheyarebrown,placeapaperbagovertheseedheadandhold

itaroundtheplantstem.Shakethedriedflowerheadsothattheseedsfall into thebag.Carefully remove thebag,keepingyour seeds inside,andpickoffanyseedsremainingontheflowerhead.Collecttheseedsaseach flower turns brown. Lay the seeds on amesh or tray somewherewarm tomake sure they are totally dry. Store the seeds in an airtightglasscontainerinadry,darkplaceanduseasdesired.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot to warm it up. Discard the water. Take ateaspoon or two pinches of dried fennel seeds and crush them in amortar and pestle. Place the crushed seeds into an empty tea bag orteapot. Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralidtotrapthearoma.Allowtheteatosteepforthreetofourminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainerandenjoy!Ifyouwantacupoffennelteabeforetheseedsaredriedandready,

youcanusethefennelleaves.Takealargepinchoffreshyoungleavesand chop them up. Place them into a tea bag or teapot and steep asbefore.Enjoythismild-tastingfenneltea.

TeaBagFriends

•Tomakeagreatdigestivetonic,blendfennelwithlicorice.Putapinchoffennelseedsandapinchoflicoricerootintoasaucepanandadd1½cupsofwater.Coverwithalidandsimmeroverlowheatfortentofifteenminutes.Strainthroughateastrainerintoateacup.Thisisastronganddelicioustea.Reuseyourlicoriceandfenneldecoctionformorethanonecup.

•Tryblendingapinchofcilantroseedswithasmallpinchoffennelseedsforanotherdigestivetea.Crushtheseedstogetherinamortarandpestleandthenplacetheminateabagorteapot.Steepasbefore.

TIPS

DonotconfusethisfennelwithFlorencefennel(Foeniculumvulgarevar.dulce),whichhasawhitebulb-shapedbaseandiseatenasavegetable.

Warning:Donotbetemptedtopickwildfennelasitlookssimilartohemlock,whichishighlypoisonous.

Fenugreek

Trigonellafoenum-graecum

FenugreekisamedicinalplantusedbytheRomansandancientGreeks.ItisverypopularinAsiancuisine,whereisitcalledmethi.Fenugreekisin the Leguminosae or Fabaceae family, towhich peas and beans alsobelong. The seeds and leaves of the plant are used tomake fenugreek

tea. Depending on the variety, fenugreek can have yellow or whiteflowers, which grow into long, thin seedpods. Fenugreek is a spicy,powerful-smellingherbandtheseedsareoftenusedincurrypowder.

MedicinalBenefits

Theseedscontainprotein,vitaminC,andpotassium.Theyaregoodforyour heart andmay help to lower cholesterol. The leaves are high inprotein,calcium,andiron.Itisnotrecommendedtousefenugreekwhilepregnant, but once the baby is born, it is known to help increaselactation for breast-feeding. Later in life, fenugreek may help womenwith the symptomsofmenopause.Formen, itmayhelpwithhair lossandmayalsobeanaphrodisiac.

ToGrow

Itiseasytostartfenugreekfromseed,asitisafast-growingannual.Youcanbuy largepacketsof fenugreek seed from thegrocery store, in thespicedepartment.Thisvarietyhassmallwhiteflowers.Fenugreekisbestsown directly outside once it is warm, into a prepared bed of well-drainedsoil.Scattertheseedsoverthesoilandcoverwithasprinklingofsoil.Germinationisveryquickandeasy.Fenugreekcanbegrowninacontainer as long as it is deep enough (12 inches/30 cm). Once theseedlings have grown to about 2 inches (5 cm) tall they need to bethinnedtogiveeachplantroomtogrow.Thisisthetimetoharvesttheleavestobeusedfortea.Theplantsneedabout3inches(7cm)ofspacebetweentheminordertogrowbigenoughtoproduceseeds.Fenugreekisfairlydroughttolerantoncetheplantsareestablished.It

grows rapidly andwill go to seed by the late summer if sown in thespring.Bygrowingyourownseedsandleavesyoucanbesurethattheyare safe and free from chemicals. Slugs and snails will eat lots of thesmallerfenugreekshootssokeepliftingupyourpotstomakesurenoneare hiding beneath. Put the plants somewhere less accessible to thesepests,layeggshellsaroundyourplants,orsetabeertrap.

ToHarvest

Youwillneedtoharvest theseedsandthe leavesat separate times, togetthebestingredientsforyourtea.Earlierontheseason,whenyouarethinning the seedlings in theearly summer,you shouldharvest leaves.Dry the leaves and store them in a sealed glass container in the dark.Longgreenseedpodswilldevelopontheremainingplantsandshouldbeleft on theplant to ripen.Pick the seedpodswhen theyhave turned alightbrownbutbeforetheyopen.Eachseedpodcontainsmanyseeds,socollecttheseinabowl.Placeonatrayandputinawarmroom.Whentotallydry,puttheseeds inasealedglasscontainerandstore inadrydark location ready to be used with the dried leaves for a nutritiousfenugreektea.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putalargepinchof seedsandapinchofdried fenugreek leaves intoa teabagorteapot. Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Theseedscreateveryyellowteawithastrong,sweetcurrysmell.Ithasa fresh bean taste and a sweetmaple syrup flavor. This tea creates arelaxingandcalmingeffectonthebody.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendwithblueberryforapossiblycholesterol-loweringtea.Putfivecrusheddriedblueberriesandapinchofdriedfenugreekleavesandseedsintoateabagorteapotandsteepfor3to4minutes.

•Blendwithcorianderseedsandleaves.Crushapinchofcorianderseedsandaddtoapinchoffenugreekseedsandapinchofdriedorfreshcorianderleaves.Putinateabagorintoateapotandpouronboiledwaterasbefore.

TIPS

Fenugreekisusedtoflavorfakemaplesyrup!

Warning:Nottobeusedbypregnantwomenasitmaycauseprematurelabor.

FRUITS

Blueberry

Vacciniumcorymbosum

Native toNorthAmerica, theblueberry isnowapopulargardenplantacross the world. You can get evergreen blueberries, but Vacciniumcorymbosum is a deciduous shrub. It will lose its leaves in thewinter,aftertheyturnastunningredcolorinthefall.Theyhavelovelywhite,sometimes pinkish flowers, which develop into fruit inmidsummer orearlyautumn.Blueberryplantswillbearfruit formanyyearsandeach

yearwillhopefullyrewardyouwithabiggercropthanthelast.

NutritionalBenefits

It is well known how good blueberries are for us. They are high inantioxidants,vitaminC,vitaminA,andvitaminE.Theycanhelpboostyourimmunesystem,sustainyoureyesight,helplowercholesterol,andimprovedigestion. Theymayhelpwithmemory loss and can improvebrainfunctionandlearningcapacity.

ToGrow

Therearemanycultivatedblueberryvarietiestochoosefrom,andaverypopular one is Vaccinium corymbosum, or high-bush blueberry. Try tobuytwo-orthree-year-oldplantssothatyouwillhavesomefruitinyourfirst year. Choose the hardiest variety for your location so youdo nothave to worry about winter protection. There is another cultivatedvarietycalledrabbit-eyeblueberries(Vacciniumashei)thatbearsmallerfruits,similartowildblueberries,butareeasiertogrowthanotherhigh-bushvarieties.

Ifyouhavespace,growtwoormorevarieties.Blueberryflowershavebothmaleandfemaleorgansbuttheycannotbefertilizedbytheirownpollen.Havingothervarietiesclosebywillhelpthebeesandensureyouget a bigger crop of fruit. Blueberries like an acidic soil, and the pHneedstobebelow5.5formostblueberriestothrive.YoucanbuysimplepHtestkitscheaplyfromgardencenterstotestyourplot.Ifyoursoilisnotacidic,itiseasiesttogrowblueberriesinacontainer.Useericaceous

soil or acidic compost,which is for acid-loving plants. Try and find alow-peatversionoronethatusespinebarkinsteadofpeatifpossible,aspeat extraction is very bad environmentally. Make sure your pot hasdrainage holes and crocks (broken bits of pot) in the bottom to helpimprove drainage. Blueberries like well-drained but moist soil, and asunny or partly shaded, sheltered position. They love to be givenrainwatertodrink,asitismoreacidicthantapwater.Tofeedtheplant,put a layer of homemade organic compost from your composter orwormeryaroundtheplantcoveringwithalayerofbarkchippingmulchtohelpretainmoisture.Whenthefruitshaveformedandarestartingtoturncolor,youshouldcover your blueberry with a net to stop the birds from eating yourharvest.Positionfourcanesinthegroundaroundtheplantandattachafinenettotheseusingclothespegsorstring.Pruneyourblueberryplants in thewinter toneaten themupand topromotenewgrowththefollowingyear.Cutanydeadstemstothebaseand thebrownendsof the stems to theclosestgrowingbuds.Cutanystems that have fruited that year down to ground level. If containergrown, they will need repotting into a larger pot in the spring. Useericaceous/acidic potting soil as before. You can take cuttings in thespring to make more plants. Make sure you use ericaceous or acidiccompostforthecuttings.

ToHarvest

Pickyourblueberrieswhentheyareripebutstillfirm.Usethemfreshordry the berries using a dehydrator or an oven. As blueberries have aprotective skin and are very juicy, they need to be either blanched orprickedbeforetheyaredried.Toblanchthefruit,placetheblueberriesinametalsieveanddipthemintoasaucepanofboilingwaterforafewseconds (you don’t want the skins to burst), then immediately plungethemintocoldwater.Thisshouldsoftentheskinstohelpspeedupthedryingprocess,whichwilltakeabouttwenty-twohoursinadehydrator.I find themost efficientwaywas to prick each berry about ten timeswith a pin. This significantly reduces the drying time needed (aboutseventeenhours)butobviouslytakeslongertopreparethanblanching.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Foracupoffresh blueberry tea, put about seven berries (or more, if you like astrongertaste)intoateabagorteapot.Foracupofdriedblueberrytea,youneedtogrindtheberries.Putsevenberriesintoamortarandpestleandgrinduntilbrokenup.Putthegroundblueberriesintoateabagorteapot. Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.Allowtheteatosteepforfourminutes,liftingthebagupanddowntohelpextracttheflavororstirringifyouareusingateapot.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusing a tea strainer. The tea is a lovely deep red color and has arefreshingfruitytaste.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendwithhyssopforanantioxidant-boostingtea.Puttwopinchesofgroundblueberryandasmallpinchofdriedorfreshhyssopleavesintoateabagorteapotandsteepforthreetofourminutes.Servewithfreshhyssopflowers.

•Blendasmallpinchoffreshordriedmanukawithcrushedblueberriestogiveaslightfruitflavortothisaromatictea.

TIPS

Blueberriesbelongtothesamegenus(Vaccinium)ascranberries,bilberries,huckleberries,andlingonberries.Thereareabout450speciesofplantsinthisgenus.

Lemon

Citrusxlimon

Lemons were introduced to Europe over 1,000 years ago. ChristopherColumbusisbelievedtohavebroughtthefirstlemonstoAmericainthefifteenthcentury,andItalyandtheUSarenowthebiggestproducersoflemons in the world. Lemons are used for a huge range of foods andproducts. Lemon trees have dark green, oval-shaped leaves, andbeautifullyscentedwhiteflowersthatgrowintofruit.

A lemongrown froma seedwillnotproduce identical lemonsas itsparent tree, and the plant may take about ten years to fruit. Socommercially,tospeedupfruitingandtoensurethequalityofthefruitproduced, citrus trees are often grafted. To graft a plant, a section ofstem containing a leaf bud (called a scion) is placed into the stem ofanotherplant (called the stock).The twoparts joinandgrow togetherinto a newplant.Althoughmore expensive to buy initially because oftheworkthathasbeeninvolvedintheirdevelopment,graftedtreeswillgivebetterquality fruit inashorteramountof time.Thegoodnews isthat they are self-fertile so you only need one lemon plant to obtainfruit.

MedicinalBenefits

LemonscontainhighlevelsofvitaminC,aswellascalcium,vitaminB,andniacin.Theyareusedasanantibacterialandantiviralfruit,sotheyareagreatdefenseagainstcoldsandflu.

ToGrow

InordertohavelemonstouseformakingteaIadvisebuyingagraftedlemonplant.They canbe grownoutside in a shelteredposition if youlive in a frost-free climatewhere the temperature does not fall below44°F ( 7 °C). They can reach 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6meters) tall if theconditionsare ideal. Ifyourclimatehas lowwinter temperatures, theyshould be grown in a pot outside in the summer and moved insideduringthecoldermonths.Tosuccessfullygrowalemoninside,itisvitaltochoosetherightpositionforit.Thesearethemainfactorstoconsider:LightLemon plants need lots of light, so a conservatory or greenhouse isperfect.

TemperatureLemonplantsliketobeaconstantcool(notcold)temperature.Theywillnottoleratebeingneararadiatororinadraftyplace.

WaterLemon plants like to be given rainwater, if possible. Give it a goodamount until you can see the water draining from the holes in thebottomofthepot.Thenallowtheplanttobecomefairlydrybeforethenextwatering,butbecarefulnottoletitdryoutcompletely.Itdoesnotliketobeoverwateredsodon’twatertheplantmorethanonceaweekinthewintermonths.Whenyourlemonstartstoflower,itiscriticalthatyouhavea regularwatering routineestablished,otherwise the flowerswilldrop.Itcantakeayearforaflowertofullydevelopintoafruit.

HumidityLemonplantsliketohavetheirleavessprayedwithwatereverysooften.Inthewarmermonths,youcanstandthepotonstonessetinasaucerofwatertohelpincreasethehumidityaroundtheplant.Repotthelemonplantinthespringeverycoupleofyearsusinggood

organic potting soilmixedwith fine bark to improve drainage and tomakethecompostmoreacidic.Yourplantswillenjoybeingoutside in

the summer months, and the fresh air will help to keep pests anddiseasesaway.Lemonsarehungryplantsandwillneedtobefedwithanorganic citrus plant food or liquid seaweed. Be careful when you arehandlingyourlemonplantasitmayhavesharpthorns.Youcangrowlemonsfrompipsaslongasyouarepreparedtowaitalongtimeforthefruit.Itisgreatfuntotry,andyouwillreallygainanunderstandingofhowtocareforyourlemontree.Sowlemonseedsorpipsstraightafteryouhavetakenthemoutofthelemon.Plantseeds¼inch (1 cm) deep in good quality potting soil and keep the seeds in awarmandlightplace.Waterasbefore.Goodluck!

ToHarvest

Whenyourlemonsareyellow,theyareripeandreadytopick.Pickthemasyouneedthem,leavinganyothersontheplant.Ifyouhavealotoflemonsreadyatthesametimeyoucandrysometouseatothertimesofthe year. Cut slices of similar thickness and dry them in the oven forabout six hours, turning the slices over every half hour. To dry in adehydrator,dryat130°F(55°C)fortwelvetotwentyhours,untilbrittle.They lookmore like orangeswhen they are driedbut still retain theirdelicious lemon taste.When theyare totallydryandhard theycanbestoredinasealedglasscontainer,somewheredryanddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot towarm it up. Discard thewater. Put twoslicesoffreshlemonintoateacuporteapot.Ifusingdriedlemons,oneslice will probably be sufficient, as their flavor is stronger. Pour theboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overthe lemonslices.Coverwithasauceror lid.Allowthe tea tosteep forthreeminutes, remove the lid and then relax and enjoy. Thismakes awonderfulicedteaorsuntea.

TeaBagFriends

•Lemoncanbeblendedwithmanyotherteasincludingblacktea,mint,andechinacea.Simplyaddasliceoffreshordriedlemontothefinalcupofteaandallowtoinfuseforthreeminutes.Leavethelemoninthecuptodrink.

•Blendwithsteviatosweeten,ifnecessary.

TIPS

Lemonjuicecanalsobeusedasastainremover.

Myrtle

Myrtuscommunis

This evergreen shrub is often called common myrtle. It has denselypacked, aromatic, glossy leaves and haswhite flowers in the summer,followed by a profusion of glossy black berries in the winter. It isthought tobenative toEurope,particularly theMediterranean,and towestern Asia. It is from the Myrtaceae family, to which manuka alsobelongs. Myrtle has long been an important symbolic and medicinal

plant.Venus, theRomangoddessof loveandbeauty,woreacrownofmyrtle,anditisasymbolofloveandfidelity.QueenElizabethIIhadasprigofmyrtleinherweddingbouquettakenfromthesameplantthatwasusedinQueenVictoria’s.ItisalsoanimportantplantintheJewishreligionandrepresentsimmortalityduringthesukkahceremony.There are some cultivated varieties of theMyrtus communis species,suchasMyrtuscommunis “Microphylla,”which has a compact growinghabitandsmallleaves.Myrtuscommunis“Variegata”isavariegatedleafvariety.

MedicinalBenefits

Myrtle contains essential oils believed to be anti-inflammatory andantibacterial. It is thought to be good for bronchial complaints andcoughs, aswell as digestive problems. It is also believed to helpwithsinusinfections.

ToGrow

Youshould thinkabout theMediterraneanwhenplantingandgrowingyourmyrtle.It likesfullsunandwell-drainedsoil.Trytobuyatwo-orthree-year-oldplanttobeginwith(itwillneedtobeinapotatleast6inches(15cm)across).Myrtleiseasytolookafteronceitisestablished.Plant yourmyrtle in a sheltered place, next to awall or protected byothershrubs. It isnotfrosthardyinanexposedsite if thetemperaturedropsbelow5°F(-15°C).Inthewinter,youcanprotectyourmyrtlewithhorticultural fleece or bring it into an unheated greenhouse or a cool,sunnyroominsideyourhouse. Ifyourclimate iswarmenough,myrtlewillbehappyoutsideallyearround.Itcangrowintoawonderfuldenseandaromatichedgeupto16feet(5meters)tallbutcanalsobegrownin a container. Repot it every spring to give it room to grow. Use anorganic peat-free potting soil or compost, mixed with a little grit, toimprovedrainage.Water enough tokeep the soilmoist butnot soggy.Feed in the spring with an organic fertilizer. Propagate by semi-hardwoodcuttingsinlatesummer.

ToHarvest

Oncetheplantisestablished,youshouldberewardedwithlotsofglossyblack berries, which can be harvested throughout the winter. As theplant is evergreen, the leaves canbepickedwheneveryouneed them.Theberriestaketwodaystodryonalowradiatorbuttakelesstimeifyoufirstprickthemwithapin.Itisbesttodrytheminalowovenordehydrator. Dry the leaves separately, as they take less time than theberries.Whencompletelydrystoretheberriesandtheleavesseparatelyinsealedglasscontainers,somewheredryanddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Myrtle has a strong aromaand a taste that remindsmeof eucalyptus.You should tear the fresh leaves or break up the dried leaves to helpreleasetheirflavorbeforeusing.It isagreatteatohaveinthewinter,whentheberriesareontheplant.Fill thekettlewith freshwater.Bring thewater toaboil, thenpour

someintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Ilikeusingacombinationofberriesandleaves inmyrtletea.Put fiveorsixfresh or dried berries and a pinch of broken leaves into a tea bag orteapot. Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.AllowtheteatosteepforthreetofourminutesRemovetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainerthenenjoy.Youcanmakeadecoctionofthisteaifyouwouldlike a stronger flavor. Put the myrtle leaves and berries into a smallsaucepanandadd1½cupsofwater.Coverandsimmerfortentofifteenminutes.Strainthroughateastraineranddrinkhot.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendmyrtlewithrosehipsinadecoctionforacoughandcolddefense.Add1½cupsofwatertoapinchofrosehipsandfourmyrtleberriesandapinchofbrokenmyrtleleavesintoasaucepan.Bringtotheboilandthensimmergently.Aftertentofifteenminutes,straintheteaandservehot.Thisisaverysoothing,warmingcupoftea.

•Blendwithvioletforananti-inflammatorytea.Makeadecoctionofmyrtleasaboveandtheninfusesomevioletleavesandflowersintoit.Allowtosteepforthreeminutes,thenstrainintoateacupandenjoy.

TIPS

•Theberriesaresweettoeatbuthavelargebitterseeds.Theleavesandfruitsaregreattouseinstewsandothermeator

fishdishes.

•Lemonmyrtle(Backhousiacitriodora)isfromtheMyrtaceaefamilybutisfromadifferentgenus(Backhousia).Itisalsosuitableformakingtea.

•MakesureyouusetheLatinnamewhenfindingyourplants.Thereareother,unrelatedplantsthatarecommonlycalledmyrtlebutarenotsuitableformakingtea.

RoseHip

Rosarugosa

Rosehipsare the fruitsofaroseplant.Rosehips formafterbeeshavepollinated the rose flower, so it is important not to remove the deadflowerheads fromyour rose bushes if youwant beautiful rosehips todevelopandripen.Notallrosesproducehips,asalotofrosesarebredto have tightly packed petal formations and as a result, pollinatinginsectsareunabletoaccesstheflower.

MedicinalBenefits

ThereisabouttwentytimesmorevitaminCinrosehipsthanthereisinoranges. Vitamin C helpsmaintain a healthy immune system and canprevent colds and flu. Rose hips also contain vitamin E, vitamin B1,calcium,andmagnesiumaswellas flavonoids (antioxidants).Theyarealso used as an anti-inflammatory and can help reduce the pain ofarthritis.

ToGrow

Rosarugosaproducelarge,round,reddishorangehipsthathaveatangy,fruityflavor.SpecificrecommendedvarietiestochooseareRosarugosa“Rubra” or Rosa rugosa “Alba.” If you buy your rose from a gardencenter,itislikelytobeinapot.Ifyoubuyrosesbymailordertheyareoftencheaper,butwillarrivebarerooted,withoutapot.Thisisfine,astheytravelsafelylikethis,buttheymustbepottedandwateredassoonasyoureceivethem.Read the label of the rose you have selected and plant it in an

appropriatepositioninthegroundorinacontainer.Soaktheroseinabucketofwater for tenminutes.Rosesneedwell-fertilizedsoil, somixsomebonemealorhomemadecompost into theexisting soilwhere therose is tobeplanted.Theycanbeplanted inasunnyorpartlyshadedlocation. Dig a hole in the ground about twice as wide as the plant’sroots.Unwraptheroseortakeitoutofitspotandteaseopentherootstohelp it get establishedquickly.Place the rose into thehole,makingsurethebranchesremainabovethesoillevel.Fillaroundtheplantwithsoilandcompactthesoilwithyourboot.Waterwell.Ifyouwouldliketogrowyourroseinapot,findapotabouttwiceas

largeasthesizeoftheroot.Useagoodqualityorganicpottingsoilwithsharpsandorgritmixedintoimprovedrainage.Taketheroseoutofitsbag or pot and tease out the roots, and then lower the rose into the(new) pot. Fill around the plantwith soil, pushing the soil downwardwithyourfingers.Standtheplantsomewheresunnyandrepot iteveryyearorwhenitsrootshavefilledupthepot.Waterwellandnever letthesoildryout.Feedyourroseeveryspringwithanorganic fertilizer.Dependingon

thespeciesofrose,itmayneedpruninginthespringtoencouragenewgrowthandflowers.Followthespecificinstructionsonyourrose.

ToHarvest

Pick your rosehipswhen they are round andbrightly colored.This isnormally in the fall, so you should pick enough to last you formanymonths.Cutthehipsoffoftheplantandplacetheminabasket.Youcanusethehipsfreshordrythemforlateruse.Cutoffthebottomstemandalsothedarkfurrytopsofthehips.Todrylotsoffruit,putthe“topped-and-tailed”hipsinafoodprocessorandpulsetogrindthemalittle—butnottoomuch!Spreadthechoppedhipsonabakingsheetandputintoawarmovenonthelowesttemperaturesetting.Movethehipsaroundthetrayevery fiveminuteswhile theyaredrying.They should takeabouttwentyminutes.Whentheyaredry,tipthemintoasieveandshakeallthe tinyhairs out.These arewhat itchingpowder ismade from.Theyhavebeenknowntocauseminorirritationforsomepeople,butIhaveneverexperiencedthis.Ifyouareworried,youcanbemorethoroughbycuttingthehipsinhalfandscrapingoutthehairswithateaspoonbeforeyouputthemintothefoodprocessor.Whenthehipsareadarkercolorand are totally dry and hard they can be stored in a sealed glasscontainersomewheredryanddarkuntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Tomakefreshrosehiptea,snapthestemsoffeachhipandthenremovethe dark furry top of each hipwith a knife. Cut four hips in half andremove the seeds and hairs with a teaspoon. Place them in a smallsaucepanwith1½cupsofwaterandsimmerfortentofifteenminutes.Strainintoateacupandenjoyagentlyflavoredcupoffreshrosehiptea.Forastrongertaste,usedriedrosehips.Place1teaspoonofdriedrosehipsinasaucepanwith1½cupsofwater,cover,andsimmerfortentofifteenminutes.Strainintoateacupandservehot.Thisisadeliciouslysweet,almostcaramel-tastingteatohelpkeepcoldsaway.

TeaBagFriends

•RosehipsaredeliciouswhenblendedwithmountainpepperforavitaminCboost.Putapinchofrosehipsandapinchofmountainpepperintoapanwith1½cupsofwater,cover,andsimmerfortentofifteenminutes.Strainintoateacupandservehot.Thisisanaromatic,winterwarmingtea.

•Youcanblendthearomatictasteofthymewithrosehipsforacoughandcolddefense.Makeadecoctionofrosehipsasaboveandthenpourintoateacupwithateabagorteapotcontainingapinchofthyme.Afterthreeminutesremovetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.

TIPS

Donotuseanyrosehipsthatyouhavenotgrownyourselfastheymayhavebeensprayedwithchemicals.

Strawberry

Fragaria

Strawberriesoriginate fromthewildstrawberry(Fragariavesca),whichis native to Eurasia and North America. Humans have been eatingstrawberries since the Stone Age. They have been cultivated since thesixteenth century and over timewe have created bigger, sweeter, andmorecolorfulvarieties.Therearehundredsofvarietiesofstrawberries,sochooseonesuitable

to your location and climate. There are three main types: “June-bearing,” “everbearing,” and “day-neutral” varieties. June-bearing, or“summer bearers,” yield the largest fruits over a short period of time.TheyaredividedfurtherintoEarlySeason,MidSeason,andLateSeason.“Everbearing,”“Alpine,”or“Wild”strawberriescanproduceverysmallfruittwiceayear,onceinthespringandagaininthelatesummer.Theydo not tend to produce runners like the June-bearing varieties. Day-neutralor“perpetual”varietiesproducelotsof fruitovera longperiodof warm weather, but the fruit can be smaller than June-bearingvarieties.Strawberryleaves,stems,flowers,andfruitcanallbeusedtomaketea.

MedicinalBenefits

HomegrownstrawberriesareverynutritiousandcontainlotsofvitaminC,potassium,andcalcium.Strawberriesarebelievedtohelpwithfevers,infections, fainting, and depression. They are an antioxidant and canhelptheliveraswellashelpalleviatedigestiveproblems.

ToGrow

Strawberryseedscanbeslowtogerminate,soIrecommendstartingoffwithsmallplants. It is ideal tobuyyourstrawberryplants intheearlyspring so you have the full growing season ahead of you. Don’t plantstrawberries where you previously planted potatoes, peppers, ortomatoes,asthesecanharbordiseasewithinthesoil.Strawberriesneedfullsunandwell-drainedsoil.Theyalsoneedafairlyshelteredpositionso that bees and insects can easily pollinate the flowers. Mix somehomemadecompostorotherhumusintothesoilwherethestrawberriesaretobeplanted.Makeaholeandplacetheplantsothatthecrown(thepartfromwhichthestemsaregrowing)isatthesamelevelastheearth.Youcanplantinamoundofsoiltohelpraisethecrowntothecorrectlevel. Use a mulch of straw around the plants, to help prevent slugdamageandtokeepthefruitcleananddry.Waterwell,especiallywhenthe fruits are ripening.Keep the area aroundyour strawberries freeofweeds so they do not take any goodness away from your plants.Strawberrieswill flower in the spring. If a late spring frost is forecastandyourstrawberrieshaveflowersonthem,placeahorticulturalfleeceorlightsheetovertheplantsforthenight.Removeitthenextmorningorwhenthefrosthaspassed.If thefrostkills theflowers,youwillnotgetanystrawberries.Feed your plants once a month throughout the summer with an

organicfertilizersuchasseaweedorbonemeal.Ifbirdsarestealingyourfruit, cover your strawberries with netting. Growing strawberries incontainers helps to keep the slugs away. Make sure you fill yourcontainer with enough potting soil that the strawberry crown is levelwiththetopofthecontainer,sothatwhenthefruitformtheycanhangovertheedge.Theydowellinhangingbasketsaslongastheyaregivenenoughwater. If you live ina cold climateand the temperaturedropsbelow5°F(-15°C),youshouldcoveryourstrawberryplantswith4to6inchesof straw for thewinter.Clearoff the straw in the spring so theplantscanbegingrowingagain.Youareencouragedtoremovethefirstyear’sflowerstopromoteabumpercropinthesecondyear,butIhave

never managed to bring myself to do this! Most strawberry plantsproduce runners or stolons, which are long stems that grow out andaway from theplant.Newbabyplantsdevelopalong the runners, andwhen they come in contact with the earth, roots grow. These can beseparated from the parent plant and potted to make new plants.Strawberry plants become less productive as they get older, so youshouldreplacefour-year-oldplants.Strawberriesaresusceptibletomanypestsanddiseasessuchasslugs,leafblight,andmildew.Tohelppreventsomeofthese,makesureyouchooseamoredisease-resistantvarietytostart offwith.Mulch around the plantswith straw andmake sure theplantshavegoodairflowaroundthem,andchangetheirlocationeveryfew years to prevent the build-up of disease. Keep a close eye on theplant,soyoucanactquicklyifdiseaseisdetected.

ToHarvest

Pickthestrawberrieswhentheyarebrightredandfirm.Youcanusetheyoungleavesandstemsfortea,alongsidethefreshfruit.Slicethefruit,leaving the stemson, and tearup some fresh leaves to enjoy a cupoffreshstrawberry tea.Tobeable tohavestrawberrytea throughout theyear,youneedtodrytheplant.Slicethefruitasthinlyasyoucanandplaceitonaflatsieveorflexiblemeshscreen.Keepitsomewherewarmuntil dry. Your room will smell wonderful. If you dry the fruits in adehydrator,theytakeaboutfourtofivehourstodrycompletelyandwillkeepalovelyredcolor.Todryfreshlypickedleaves,pullthemofftheirstems and wash well. Chop up the leaves and dry them in the air, adehydrator, or an oven. Store the fruits and the leaves separately insealedglasscontainersinadryanddarkcupboarduntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Placefourslicesofstrawberryfruitandapinchofstrawberryleavesandstemsintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralid.Allowtheteatosteepfor threeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafrom the teapot using a tea strainer and savor the delicious sweetstrawberrytaste.Youcanplaceastrawberryfloweroronesliceoffruitinthecuptoserve.Theteahasabeautifulpalepinkcolor.Onareallyhotday,youcanmakestrawberrysuntea.Putthefreshfruitandleavesintoamasonjarorajugandfillwithcoldwater.Increasethequantityof fruit and leaves according to the size of your container; I use sixstrawberries,twoleaves,andabout1quart(1liter)ofwater.Coverthejarorjugwithalidtostopinsectsfromflyingin.Placeoutsideindirectsunlight for about five hours, depending on the sun’s intensity. Thewarmthofthesunwillbringouttheflavorofthefruit.Strainthroughajellybagorfine-meshsieveintoajug,andrefrigerateuntilchilled.Servewithicecubesthathavestrawberriesfrozeninsideandafewstrawberryflowers sprinkled on the top. This is an impressive and refreshingsummertea.

TeaBagFriends

•Strawberriesandminthavealwaysbeengreatpartners.Prepareasbefore,addingasprigoffreshmintleavestothecupofstrawberrytea.Youcanleavethemintleavesinthecupasyoudrink.

•Blendstrawberrywithhyssopforanantioxidant-boostingtea.Puttwoorthreeslicesofstrawberry,asmallpinchofstrawberryleaves,andapinchofhyssopleavesintoateabagorteapotandsteepasbefore.

TIPS

Deerlovestrawberries,soprotectyourplantswithnettingifyouneedto.

Warning:Strawberriescancauseanallergicreactioninsomepeople.

FLOWERS

Calendula

Calendulaofficinalis

TheRomansgrewcalendulafor itsmedicinalqualities,andit isoneoftheoldestcultivatedflowers.ItbelongstotheAsteraceaefamilyandiscommonlycalledpotmarigold.ItmayhavegainedthisnameinTudortimes,whenitwasapopular ingredient instews,soups,andpot-basedcooking.Calendula derives from the Latinwordkalendae,meaning thedayof

the new moon or the start of the month in the Roman calendar.Calendulawasbelievedtobeabletofloweratthestartofanymonthoftheyear,hence itsname. In itsLatinname,officinalis denotes that theplantwasrecognizedasan“official”and“useful”plant,whichcouldbesold in an apothecary’s shop. Calendula has bright yellow or orange,singleordoubleflowers.Itslong,hairy,aromaticleavescanalsobeusedintea.DonotconfusecalendulawithFrenchorAfricanmarigolds.TheyarebothintheAsteraceaefamily,butmarigoldsarefromtheTagetesgenus,not Calendula genus. French and African marigolds are oftenrecommended as a companion plant in your vegetable garden to keeppestsaway,butarenotedibleandsocannotbeusedfortea.

MedicinalBenefits

A powerful medicinal plant, calendula is known to be antiviral,antibacterial,andanti-inflammatory.ItcontainsphosphorusandvitaminCandisgoodforgastrointestinalproblemsandtodetoxifythedigestivesystem.Itmayalsohelpregulatewomen’shormonesandcanbeusedtohelp with premenstrual cramps. Gargling with cold calendula tea cansoothesorethroats.

ToGrow

Calendulashouldbegrownasanannualandsownbyseedeachyear.Itisaneasyplanttogrowfromseedandcanbesowninseedtraysinveryearly spring and kept inside until the warmer spring weather.Alternatively, it can be sown directly outside once the frosts havepassed.Itgerminatesveryquickly,andtheplantcanbefloweringwithintwomonthsofsowingtheseeds.Calendulahasamazingseedsthatlookalittlelikedriedcaterpillars.Childrenlovestudyingthem,andtheyareeasyplantsforchildrentogrow.Calendulaneedtobeplantedoutsideinasunnyplaceinwell-drained

soil.Spacetheplants8to10inches(20to25cm)apart.Theyarewellsuited togrowing in containers.Useamixtureofpotting soil/compostandeithergritorperlite,tohelpimprovedrainage.Theydonotliketodryout,sokeepthesoilmoist,especiallyifyouaregrowingtheminacontainer. Strip off any old, dying leaves at the bottom of the plantthroughouttheseason.Cabbagemothandbutterfly larvaecaneat the leaves.Calendulacan

alsobesusceptibletopowderymildew;topreventthis,makesureyourplantsdonotdryoutandthattheyhaveenoughventilation.Calendulaisgreatatself-seedingaslongasafewflowersremainontheplant.Saveyourownseedstosowinfutureyears.

ToHarvest

Harvestcalendulaflowerswheninfullbloom.Cuttheremainingflowerstems back to promote new flowers to grow.Use the fresh petals andleavesforoneofthemostbeautiful-lookingteas.Todrycalendula,pickthepetalsoffoftheflowersandcombinethepetalswiththeyoungest,freshest leaves.Spreadthemoutonabakingsheetormeshscreenanddrytheminalowoven,turningthemovereverysooftentoensureevendrying.Youcan leavethe flowers intact ifyouprefer touse thewholeflower.Theflowersheadstakethirtytofortyminutestodryintheovenat212°F(100°C).Turntheflowerheadseverytenminutes.Theymustbecompletely dry and crispy in order to be stored in a sealed glasscontainerinadryanddarkcupboard.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putapinchofdriedorabout four fresh leavesandapinchof freshordriedpetalsinto a tea bag or teapot. Pour the boiled water (which should bebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)over thetea.Allowtheteatosteepfor fourminutes.Remove the teabagorpour the tea fromthe teapotusing a tea strainer. You can serve with a couple of fresh calendulapetals fordecoration in the teacup.This isagentle, slightly sweet tea.Theleaveshaveamildpepperybut freshgreenflavor.This isa lovelyteatodrinkonsunnyafternoon.

TeaBagFriends

Tryblendingcalendulawithcilantro/corianderseedsforalight,freshdetoxtea.Putalargepinchofcalendulaandtwopinchesofcrushedcilantroseedsintoateabagorteapotandinfuseforthreetofourminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.

TIPS

Spiritualistsbelievedthatcalendulapetalsplacedunderyourpillowwouldmakeyourdreamscometrue!

Warning:Calendulashouldnotbetakenduringpregnancyandsomepeoplemaybeallergictocalendula,sousewithcaution.

Chamomile

Chamaemelumnobile

Matricariarecutita

There are two main types of chamomile: Roman chamomile(Chamaemelumnobile)andGermanchamomile(Matricariarecutita).Bothspeciescanbeusedtomaketea,buttheyhavedifferentlifecyclesandgrowinghabits so choose theone suitsyour location thebest.German

chamomileisatallerplantandcangrowto2feet(60cm)tall.Itisalsoknown as manzanilla. Roman chamomile is a more compact, lower-growingperennialuntilitsendsuptallflowerstalksinthesummer.ItisalsoreferredtoasEnglishchamomileandisoftenspelled“camomile”inthe UK. Chamomile is native to Europe and North Africa where it isoften found growing wild. It belongs to the Asteraceae family, themembersofwhichhavedaisylikeflowers.Theflowers,stems,andleavescanbeused tomakewonderful tea.Thenamechamomile comes fromtheGreekwordkhamaimelon,whichmeans“earthapple.”

MedicinalBenefits

Theflowersareantispasmodicandthereforecanhelpwith indigestion,stomachpain,upsetstomachs,andpainfulgas.Chamomilecanalsohelprelaxthebodyandisgoodforrelievinganxietyandstress.Itisaslightsedative,soitcanhelpyougetagoodnight’ssleep.Itisagreatteaforcalming childrenandcanhelpwithhay fever andboost your immunesystem.

ToGrow

GrowingRomanandGermanchamomilefromseedsisthecheapestwaytogetlotsofplants.Sowtheseedsonatrayofseed-sowingcompost/soiland coverwith a very thin layer of soil—or better still, vermiculite—over the top. Transplant the seedlings outside when they are largeenough.Youcansowtheseedsstraight intothegardenafter thefrostshave finished in the spring. Ifyou startwith seedlingsor smallplants,transplant them into the garden or a container when the frosts havepassed.Chamomile likeswell-drained,sandysoilandideallyapositioninfullsun.Onceitisestablished,itisaveryhardyplant.

GERMANCHAMOMILE(Matricariarecutita)

Germanchamomile is sometimesknownaswild chamomile and is themostcommonlyfoundspecies.Itisanannual,whichmeansitcompletesits lifecycle inoneyear,sonewplantsneedtobegrowneachyeartocontinue your supply. However, it self-seeds easily, so allow someflowerstogotoseedtopropagateintonewplants.Itcangrowupto2feet(60cm)tall,soallowabout10inches(25cm)betweeneachplant.Itlikesasunnypositionandwell-drained,sandysoil.

ROMANCHAMOMILE(Chamaemelumnobile)

This isa lovelyneat,evergreenperennial,oftengrownintochamomilelawns. Choose your Chamaemelum nobile carefully, as some of thevarieties grown specifically for lawns, such as Chamaemelum nobile“Treneague,”donotproduceflowersandsowillnotbesuitablefortea.Roman chamomile spreads by its stems that creep outward and rootwhentheyfindasuitablespot.Youshouldtrimtheplants(keepingtheclippings touse for tea) toencourageadensebushyplantandremoveany brown dead leaves throughout the year. In the spring, allow theplanttosenduplongstemsonwhichflowerswilldevelop.YoucanbuyChamaemelumnobile“FlorePleno,”averyprettydouble-

floweredRomanchamomilevarietythatcanalsobeusedtomaketea.Bothchamomilesarehappytobeplantedinacontainer.Fillyourpot

tothetopwithamixtureofgritandorganicpottingsoil.Thecrownoftheplantshouldbelevelwiththesoil.BothspeciesflowerfromJunetoJuly.Aswellassowingseeds,youcanpropagatenewchamomileplantsbydividingtheminthespring.

ToHarvest

Chamomilebloomsforalongtime,soharvestthroughoutthesemonthsasandwhentheflowersarefullyopen.Cuttheflowersoffatthebaseoftheirstemstouseforyourtea.Thestemsandleavesalsocontainlotsofwonderfulflavor,sousethesealongsidetheflowers.Chopthemupintomoremanageablesizesandusefresh,ordrysometouseatalatertime.Dryonaflatsievesomewherewarmorinadehydratoruntilcompletelycrispy.Theleavesandstemswilltakeamuchshortertimetodrythantheflowers.Whencompletelydry,storeinasealedglasscontainerinadry,darkcupboarduntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putthreeorfour flowers andapinchof stemsand leaves intoa teabagor teapot.Theflowersareverystrongandiftoomanyareused,theteacantastebitter.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)over the tea.Allow the tea to steep for three to fiveminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Thereisadefiniteappletastetotheteaandithasawonderfulcalmingeffect.

TeaBagFriends

•Tryblendingchamomilewithlicoriceforanimmune-boostingandcleansingtea.Infuseapinchofchamomileintoafreshlymadedecoctionoflicoricerootandsteepforthreeminutes.Strainintoateacupanddrink.

•Tryblendingchamomilewithmintforadigestivetonic.Putasmallpinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandinfusefor3minutes.Removetheteabagorpourfromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Drinkbeforeorafterameal.

•Chamomileblendedwithlemon-scentedpelargoniumisagreatcalmingteatohelpwithanxiety.Putapinchofeachinateabagorteapotandinfuseasbefore.

•Tohelpwithhayfever,tryblendingvioletswithchamomile.Putapinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandinfuseasbefore.

TIPS

•Youcanplacecoldchamomileteabagsonyoureyelidstoreducepuffiness.

•Chamomileisfairlypest-anddisease-free,andinfact,itcanhelpkeepdiseasefromotherplants.

Warning:Itisunusual,butpeoplehavebeenknowntohaveanallergicreactiontochamomile,soaswithallteas,usewithcaution.Itisnotrecommendedforusebypregnantwomen,asitcancausecontractions.

Honeysuckle

Lonicera

HoneysuckleisahighlyscentedclimbingplantnativetoEurope,NorthAfrica,NorthAmerica,China,andIndia.ThegenusLonicerawasnamedafter the German botanist Adam Lonicerus (Lonitzer), who in 1557,

published Kreuterbuch, an important botanical reference book. Thecommonnameofhoneysucklewasgivenforitssweetnectar,whichissodeliciouswhensuckedoutoftheflowers.Youcanfindevergreenordeciduous,climbingorlow-growing,hardyortendervarietiesofhoneysuckle.Themostcommonvarietiesarehardyclimbers. All honeysuckle flowers can be harvested to make tea, andtheir fragrance can be incredible. Lonicera periclymenum, also calledwoodbine, is a common European honeysuckle. It is a tall-growing,deciduous, climbing plant, up to 20 feet (6 meters). Lonicerasempervirens (trumpet honeysuckle), a native of the eastern UnitedStates,canalsogrowupto20feet(6meters)tallifleftunpruned.Ithaslong, orange, trumpet-shaped clusters of flowers and is loved byhummingbirds. Lonicera japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) is native toAsiaandhasvanilla-scentedwhiteandyellowflowers.Thisisavigorousplant,anditsabilitytospreadandgrowoutofcontrol inthewildhasmeantthatthisparticularspeciesisnotallowedorencouragedinsomestatesintheUnitedStatesandinNewZealand.Lonicerafragrantissimaisa low-growing type of honeysuckle with delicate white flowers thatbloominthewinterandearlyspring.Thisspeciescanbefoundgrowingwild in some US states. Most honeysuckle berries are poisonous soshouldnotbeeatenorusedintea.

MedicinalBenefits

Honeysuckle flowershavebeenvalued formedicinaluses forhundredsof years. They are believed to help coughs and may help reduce atemperature.Honeysucklecanactasalaxativeanddiuretic,soitisusedasacleansingherbtohelpremovetoxinsfromthebody.

ToGrow

It is easiest to startoffwithaplant, as seedgermination isvery slow.Choose a fragrant variety suitable to your location and follow thespecificplantinginstructions.Asageneralrule,yourhoneysucklewouldmostliketobeplantedinapartlyshadedplaceinyourgarden.Itcanbegrown in a sunnypositionas longas it roots arekept cool andmoist.Mulcharoundthehoneysucklewithyourowngardencompostorwell-rotted farmyardmanure. This helps keep the rootsmoist andpreventspowderymildewfromdeveloping.Feedthroughoutthesummerwithanorganicfertilizer.Pruningforalotofthevarietiesisdoneinthespring,butcheckyour

specific variety and prune as instructed on its label. You can takecuttingsinthespringtogrowmorehoneysuckleplants.Cut2-to3-inch(5cm)longcuttingsfromnon-floweringstems.Ifyouneedtogrowyourhoneysuckle inacontainer,chosea low-growing, lessvigorousvariety.Donotallowthepottodryoutinthesummer.

ToHarvest

Itisbesttoharvesttheflowerswhentheyfirstopen,asthescentwillbestrongestthen.Pickthepetalsoffoftheflowers.Donotusetheleaves,as theymake the tea bitter.Use the petals fresh or dry them for lateruse.Theydonottakelongtodry,sochooseagentlemethodofdryingsuchasonameshscreeninawarm,well-ventilatedroom.Oncetotallydryandcrispy,storeinasealedglasscontainerinadry,darkcupboarduntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putabouttenpetalsintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.Thepetalswillturnyellowwhenthehotwaterispouredonthem.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer.Theteaisapaleyellowcolorandhasalovelymildfloraltastewithacalmingeffect.Trychillingthisteaandservingitasanicedtea.

TeaBagFriends

•Honeysuckleisdeliciousblendedwithginger.Putaverysmallpinchofgingerandabouttenhoneysucklepetalsintoateabagorteapot.Infuseandserveasbefore.

•Tryblendinganisehyssopwithhoneysuckleforasoothingandwarmingtea.Putapinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandinfuseasbefore.

TIPS

Honeysucklewillattractlotsofwildlifetoyourgarden.Ihaveawonderfulwoodpigeonthatsitsandeatstheshootsofmineinthewintertime.

Warning:Honeysuckleberriescanbered,orange,orblue-blackandmostarepoisonous.Donoteatthemorusethemfortea.

Jasmine

Jasminumsambac“MaidofOrleans”

andJasminumofficinale

JasmineteaisoneofthefavoriteteasinChina,whereitisknownasmolihuacha.ItismadefromtheleavesoftheCamelliasinensisplant(asanunoxidized green or oolong tea) suffused with the scent of Jasminumsambac flowers. The jasmine flowers are picked and laid alongside

lightly steamed camellia leaves for a number of hours in a controlledenvironment.Overnight,theflowersopenandreleasetheirscent,whichthen infuses into the camellia leaves. The process is repeated severaltimeswithbatchesof fresh jasmine flowers.Thisprocess isagreatartand learned over generations. An even more complex and time-consumingprocessistomakeafloweringjasminetea.Flowersaresewntogetherwithcamellia leavesandmade into flowering tea thatunfurlslikeabloomingflowerwhenbrewed.JasminumsambacissometimesreferredtoasArabianjasmine,anditswhiteflowershaveanincredibleperfume.YoucangetdifferentvarietiesofJasminumsambac, such as the single-flowered “Maid ofOrleans,” orthe double-flowered “Grand Duke of Tuscany.” Jasminum sambac is atender plant, suitable to grow outside if you live in a warm tropicalclimate(USDAzone9orhigher)orgrowninsideasahouseplant.Itcanbe hard to grow and difficult and expensive to buy. An alternative isJasmineofficinale,orcommonjasmine,adeciduousclimbingplantwithfragrantwhitesingleflowers.

MedicinalBenefits

Drinking jasmine tea is supposed to reduce theheart rate, relieve soremuscles,andcalmthewholebody.Itisbelievedtobeanantidepressantandanaphrodisiac. Itmayevenhelpslowtheagingprocessandboosttheimmunesystem.

ToGrow

Jasmines belong to the olive or Oleaceae family. This helps you tounderstand the conditions that the plants need to grow. To grow asambacoutside,youwillneedtoliveinatropicalclimate.Yoursambacwillnottolerateatemperaturelowerthan50°F(10°C).Youwillneedtogrowyoursambacinsideifyourclimatedoesnotallow.Sambacsneedlotsoflightinordertoflower—theyideallylike4to6hoursofsunshineaday—soplacetheplantinyoursunniestwindowsill.Potitinamixofperliteandorganicpottingsoilforgooddrainage.Wateritwellbutdonotallowitsrootstobecomesoggy.Iftheleavesstarttoturnyellow,ithas been overwatered. Feed the plant throughout the summermonthswithanorganicfertilizer.Youcantakecuttings inthespringtocreatenewplants(seehere).Placeyourplantoutsideonwarmdays toenjoysomefreshair.Jasmine officinale is a deciduous climbing plant with single white

fragrantflowers.Itcanclimbtogreatheightsonashelteredsouth-facingwall. It is still a tenderplant, sowouldnotwithstandaharsh frost ortemperatures below about 23°F (-5°C). Depending on your climate, itmay need to be grown in a container and brought inside during thewintermonths. It cangrowwell in a conservatoryorgreenhouse.Youcanfitatrellisoraframeworkwithinthecontainerforittoclimb.Potitinamixofpottingsoilandperliteorgritforgooddrainageandwaterwell in the summer. Feed your jasmine every month with an organicfertilizerduringthesummergrowingseason.Youcanpruneitbackafterithasfloweredtomaintainagoodshapeandsize.Cuttingscanbetakeninthelatesummer.YoucanbuycultivatedvarietiesofJasmineofficinalewithdifferent-coloredflowersandfoliage.

ToHarvestandBlend

Pluck the flowers from the stems. Use immediately for fresh jasmineflowerteaordryforjasminegreentea.Chooseamoregentlemethodtodryyour jasmine flowers, suchas in theair inawarm,well-ventilatedroom.J.sambacflowersturnpinkwhentheydryandovertimewillturnbrown.Youwillneedtoblendthejasmineflowerswithgreentealeaves;follow the instructions tomakegreen tea.Placedriedgreen tea leavesintoaglassjarwithsomedriedjasmineflowers.Themoreflowersthereare,thestrongerthejasmineflavorwillbe.Leavetheminthesealedjarfor a number of days—the longer the better—so that the jasminefragrancecanblendwiththegreentea.Afteratleastaweekitisreadytouse.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyour teacupor teapot towarmitup.Discard thewater.Put threeinfusedgreentealeavesandthreeorfourjasmineflowersintoateabagor teapot. Pour the boiled water (which should be between 176 to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralidtotrapthearoma.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteausingateastrainerandthenfloatafreshjasmineflowerintheteatoserve.Enjoythisamazing-tasting,homegrownblendedtea.Tomakeasimplejasmineflowertea,puttwopinchesoffreshordried

jasmine flowers into a tea bag or teapot and steep as before. Place afreshflowerintheteatoserve.

TeaBagFriends

•Jasmine’sbestfriendsarewhiteandgreentea.

•Blendwithsweetteavineforapossiblyantiagingtea.Puttwopinchesofsweetteavineandapinchofjasmineflowersintoateabagorteapot,cover,andsteepasbefore.

TIPS

•Jasmineflowersarestrungtogetherintoleis,orgarlands,and

arewornatweddingsacrossAsia.

Warning:Carolinajasmine(Gelsemiumsempervirens)or“falsejasmine”ishighlypoisonoustohumans.MakesureyouusethefullLatinnamewhenbuyingyourplants.

Lavender

Lavandulaangustifolia

Lavenderisanaromaticherbwithlong,straightgrayleavesandclustersofpurpleflowersonlongstems.ThenameLavandulaisthoughttohavecomefromtheLatinwordlavare,whichmeanstowash.Tothisday,westillliketousethisfragranceinourwashingproducts.Itisagreatplanttoattractbees,butterflies,andinsectstoyourgarden,astheflowersarefullofnectarforthemtoeat.Therearehundredsoftypesof lavender,

witharangeofcolorsandsizes.CommonorEnglishlavender,Lavandulaangustifolia, is best to use formaking tea. There aremany cultivars ortypes of L. angustifolia, so choose one that suits your location. IrecommendL.angustifolia“Hidcote,”whichis low-growing,withsilver-grayleavesanddarkblue-purpleflowers,orL.angustifolia“Munstead,”whichisalittletallerandhasgray-greenleavesandlighterblueflowers.Both varieties are hardy, which means they should withstandtemperaturesbelow5°F(-15°C).

MedicinalBenefits

Lavenderiswellknownforitscalmingandrelaxingqualities—therefore,drinkinglavenderteawillhelpwithanxietyandstress.Itisverygoodtodrinkbeforegoingtosleepasithelpswithinsomnia.It isalsogoodatfightingcoldandcoughsymptomsandeasingstomachproblems,anditis a natural antiseptic. It is good for the mind and body and helpspromoteoverallwell-being.

ToGrow

Youcangrowlavenderfromseeds,butgerminationisdifficultandtheseedsmaynotturnouttobetruetotheirparentplant.Itismucheasiertobuyaplantsoyoucanharvestitsflowersforteainthefirstyear.Ittakesthreeyearsforalavenderplanttogrowtofullsize.Lavendercanbegrown inacontainerordirectly inagarden in full

sunandwell-drainedsoil.Addsomegravelorsharpsandifyoursoilisveryheavytoimprovedrainage.Lavenderprefersfairlyalkalinesoil(pHof6.5to7),soaddsomeorganiccompostandsomegardenlimeifyoursoil ismoreacidic. Lavenderdoesnot like tohavewet feet, sodonotoverwater. It is best to water it well and only water again when younoticeitisdry.Ifyouliveinaregionwheretemperaturesdroptoaverycold-20°F(-28°C),youshouldkeepyourlavenderinapotandbringitinto a greenhouse to protect it from the frost, and then put it outsideagainthefollowingspring.It is very important to prune back your lavender plant every year;

otherwise, itcanbecomeverywoodyandunattractive. Inearlyspring,cut back the plant to about 2 inches (5 cm) above where the woodystems finish (itwillnot regrow ifyoucut into thewoodystems).Newgreenstemswilldevelopfromthere.You can take hardwood cuttings from lavender after the plant has

floweredinlatesummer.

ToHarvest

Youcanpick fresh lavender flowersand leavesasandwhenyouneedthemforacupoffreshlavendertea.Itisidealtopicktheflowersbeforethey fully open. Cut long stems of lavender and tie small bunchestogether with a rubber band. Hang the bunches somewhere cool anddark,withgoodventilationtopreventanymoldfromdeveloping.Keepaneyeontheflowers,asthelengthoftimeitshouldhangforwillvary.Whenyoucanfeeltheheadsarecrispy,dry,andbrittle,itisreadytobetakendown.Breakofftheflowerheadsandstoretheminasealedglasscontainerinthedarkuntilneeded.Ifyouareonlydryingafewflowersatatime,puttheminaflatsieveoronabakingsheetandleavethemsomewherewarmfor three to fourdaysuntil theheadsarecompletelydry. Store in a sealed glass container somewhere dry and dark untilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Puttwoorthreeheadsoflavenderandafewleavesintoateabagorteapot.Pourthe boiledwater (which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to 85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralid.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes,thenremovetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusing a tea strainer, and enjoy. Lavendermakes a strong and fragrantfloral tea. To use dried lavender, put a pinch or a teaspoon of driedlavenderflowersandleavesintoateabagorteapotandsteepforthreetofourminutes.Drink,relax,andfallasleep!

TeaBagFriends

•Youcanblendlavenderflowerswithgreenorblacktea.Putsomedriedflowerheadsintoajarwithsomedriedgreenorblacktealeaves,andletsitforafewweekstoallowtheflavorstoblendtogether.

•Lavenderisalsoverygoodblendedwithbergamot.Putasmallpinchoflavenderandapinchofbergamotintoateabagandsteepasbefore.Thisisaverygoodteatohelpwithstressanddepression.

•Blendwithsweetteavineforanoverall-good-healthtea.Putapinchoflavenderflowersandapinchofsweetteavineleavesintoateabagorteapot,cover,andsteepasbefore.

TIPS

Lavendercanbeusedasaflavorinmanybakingrecipes.Andifyouneededanotherreasontogrowit,deerandrabbitsandslugstendtodislikethetaste,soit’sfairlypest-proof.

Rose

Rosa

There are many different species and cultivated varieties of fragrantroses. Tea roses andhybrid tea roses are named as suchbecause theirfragrancewassupposedtobesimilartoChinesetea.Youdonothavetochoose a “tea rose” to make tea—choose a color and size of highlyfragrantrosetosuityourlocation.

MedicinalBenefits

Rose petal tea is thought to help cleanse the bladder and kidneys andprevent digestive problems. It is also used to helpwith stress and cancalmthenervoussystem.Aswithallteas,drinkinmoderation,asrosepetalscanbealaxativeandmaycausediarrheaiftakeninexcess.

ToGrow

If you want to make rose bud tea, hybrid musk varieties, such as“Ballerina,” “Felicia‚” and “Prosperity” are recommended, as theyproduce small fragrantbuds. Ifyouwould like toharvestpetals ratherthanbuds,youcanchooseanyveryfragrantroseofanysizeandcolor.Recommendations of hybrid tea varieties include “Scent-sation,”“FragrantCloud,”or“Renaissance.”Youcangetbeautifulclimbingandramblingfragrantrosesbutthesemaytakeacoupleofyearstorewardyouwithflowers.Shrubrosesareagoodstartingpointifyouarenewtogrowing roses, as these can be very fragrant, easy to grow, diseaseresistant, and require little, if any pruning. Most roses like a sunnyposition,butcheckthepreferencesofyourspecificvariety.Ifyouareplantingyourrosesinthegarden,firststandyourplantina

bucketofwaterfortenminutestocompletelysoaktheroots.Digaholethat ismuch larger than thepotor root size togive theroots roomtogrow. Mix some fertilizer such as bonemeal into the soil that will begoing back into the hole. Remove the plant from the pot, loosen theroots,andsetitinthehole,makingsurethatthebaseofthestemsisnotbelow the soil level. Fill the soil around the roots, compacting thegroundwithyourboot.You can grow roses in containers as long as you choose a suitable

variety.Makesureyouneverletyourrosesdryout.Feedyourrosesanorganicfertilizeronceamonthfromspringuntiltheendofthegrowingseason in late summer for really strong plants. Some roses requirepruningintheearlyspring,socheckyourplantlabelforspecificpruningadvice.

ToHarvest

Thegreatthingaboutgrowingyourownrosesisthatyouknowthattheflowers will be free of any chemical sprays. It’s hard to do, but youshouldharvesttherosepetalswhentheflowersarelookingtheirbestastheywillhavethemostaromaatthattime.Somelargerosepetalshaveawhitepartat thebaseof thepetal.Thesecanbebitter, soremove ifnecessary.Use secateurs or scissors to cut off the rose buds once theyhaveopenedalittle.Inordertostoreyourroses,youneedtodrythem.Thepetalscanbedriedonaflatsieveorabakingsheetsetinawarmspot. The rose buds will need to be dried in a low oven or in adehydrator. If you are drying buds and petals together, keep checkingthem and remove the petals sooner, as the petals will take a muchshortertimetodrythanthebuds.Itisimportantthatallthemoistureisremovedfromthebudsortheywillgomoldywhentheyarestored.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot towarm it up.Discard thewater. Put fourpinches of rose petals or five rose buds into a tea bag or teapot. Thisamountwillvaryaccordingtoyourtaste,soexperiment.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralidtotrapthebeautifularoma.Allowtheteatosteepforthreetofiveminutes.Removetheteabagorpourtheteafromtheteapotusingateastrainer,andenjoy.Thecoloroftheteawillbedeterminedby the colorof the rosepetals.Whatever the color, thepepperytasteandfragrantaromaofthisteaaredivine.

TeaBagFriends

•Rosesarewonderfulmixedwithblacktea.Itisagreatideatomixupajarofthisteainadvancetogivetherosestimetoinfusewiththeblacktea.Thiscanmakeawonderfulgift,too.

•Chicoryblendedwithrosepetalisagreatcleansingtea.Putapinchofrosepetalsintoafreshlymadechicorydecoctionandsteepforthreeminutes(seeChicory).Straintoserve.

TIPS

Bunchesofrosesfromshopsarenotsuitabletousefortea,astheymayhavebeensprayedwithchemicals.

Saffron

Crocussativus

Saffron is the bright red stigma and style on the flower of theCrocussativus plant. It is themost expensive spice in theworld. Each flowerproduces only three stigmas that have to be picked by hand, soharvestingisincrediblylaborintensive.ItisnowgrowncommerciallyallovertheworldincludingIran,India,Morocco,andEurope(particularlyin Spain). This crocus only flowers for a few weeks each fall. The

fragrant flowers are a lovely palemauve color and theplant has thin,swordlike, dark green leaves. Crocuses grow from a corm, not a bulb.Corms and bulbs are underground food storage organs. A corm is theswollen and condensed underground stem of the plant, unlike a bulb,whichisacondensedshootsurroundedbylayersofmodifiedleaves.Thesaffron corms take two years to become mature enough to produceflowers. Each subsequent year, numerous new corms will replace themaincorm.SomecrocusesaretoxicsoitisvitaltousetheLatinnameandmakesureyoubuyCrocussativus.

MedicinalBenefits

Saffronteahasawarm,happy,feel-goodeffectandcanhelpwithmanyhealth issues. Known as the flower of health, saffron is a powerfulantioxidantandantiseptic.Itmayhelpwiththebuildupofgasandaidsdigestion.It isalsothoughttobegoodfortheheartandmindandcantreatdepression.Therearereportsthatithelpsthebodyfightcancer.

ToGrow

Crocussativus need a sunny and sheltered spot, ideallywithneutral orslightly alkaline soil. If you start with fiftymature corms, you shouldgrowenough saffron tomakequite a few cups of saffron tea.Try andbuythelargestcormsyoucan(1inchorlarger)asthiswillmeantheyareafewyearsold,soyouwillgetflowersinyourfirstyear.Itisbesttoplantthecormsinthesummerwhentheydonothaveleaves,asitgivesthemtimetosettleinbeforetheyflower.Ifplantinginyourgarden,mixin some fertile organic homemade compost from your composter orhorsemanureintotheground.Plantthecormswiththeshootpointingupwardabout6inches(15cm)apartandabout6inches(15cm)deep—muchdeeper than you imagine. Planting them this far apart gives thecormsroomtogrowandthedepthpromotesflowering.Italsoprotectsthemfrombeingdugupbysquirrelsandotheranimals.Itisbestnottobuysaffronwhileitisstillinleaf,asthisiswhenitis

makingitsfoodforthefollowingyear,andmovingitaroundwilldisturbthisprocess.However,ifyoudobuysaffroncormswhiletheyhavetheirleaveson,planttheminpotsassoonasyouhavereceivedthem.Waterand feed themuntil the leavesdieback in the spring.Then transplantthecormsfromthepotintotheground(asabove)intheearlysummer.They flower for about three weeks in the fall when the weather getscolder.Eachflowerwillonlylastforaboutadaysoitisimportantnottomissthepreciousharvest.The flowers are sterile and do not make seeds; the corms are the

plant’s method of reproduction. After four years, the corms may beovercrowdedandneedseparatingtoallowthemmoreroom;otherwise,theywill stop flowering. In early summer, dig up the corms, separatethem,andplantthemindividuallyandinanewlocationtohelppreventdisease.Youcangrowsaffroninacontaineroutsideaslongasitisdeepenough(atleast12inches/30cm).

ToHarvest

Forthebestsaffron,harvestwhentheflowersare inbudandnot fullyopen.Usingtweezers,carefullypluckthelongdarkredstigmasfromtheflower center.Dry the stigmasby layering thembetweenpaper towelsand placing them somewhere dry with constant warmth, such as anairingcupboard.Keepaneyeonthem,astheywillnottakelongtodry.Whenastigmacrackles,itiscompletelydryandreadytobestoredinanairtight container inadarkplace.Thecolorof the saffronwilldarkenovertime,andifstoredcorrectly,itcanlastforuptofiveyears.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeintoyourteacuporteapottowarmitup.Discardthewater.Putapinch(10to15strands)offreshordriedsaffronintoateabagorteapot.Pourthe boiledwater (which should be between 176 to 185°F/80 to 85°C)over the tea. Allow the tea to steep for threeminutes. Thewaterwillquickly turnadeepyellowcolor.Remove the teabag,orpour the teafromthe teapotusinga teastrainer.The teahasabittersweet,hayliketaste, and it gives a relaxing and heartwarming sensation. Reuse thesaffronfor2ormoreinfusions.

TeaBagFriends

•Saffronisamazingwithrosemaryforafeel-goodtea.Putapinchofrosemaryandfourorfivestrandsofsaffronintoateabagorteapotandinfuseasbefore.Thisteahasastrongflavorandastrongyellowcolor.

•Blendmanukawithsaffronforagood-healthtea.Putapinchofmanukaandafewstrandsofsaffronintoateabagorteapot,cover,andinfuseasbefore.Enjoytheflavorsome,aromatictea.

•Cardamomiswonderfulblendedwithsaffron,asthesaffrongivesthisotherwiseclearteaayellowcolor.Putasmallpinchofcardamomandalargepinchofsaffronintoateabagorteapotandinfuseasbefore.Thisisagreatpick-me-upteatohelpliftyourmoodandcombatstress.

TIPS

DONOTconfusetruesaffronwithsafflower(Carthamustinctorius),commonlycalledAmericanorPortuguesesaffron.Thisflowerisusedforthebrightyellowdyelikecoloritimparts,butitisacompletelydifferentplantandwillbeverycheaptobuyincomparisontorealsaffron.

Violet

Violaodorata

Violets belong to the Viola genus in the Violaceae family. They arenativetoAsiaandEuropeandarenowwidelycultivatedgardenplants.Violaodorataare low-growing,evergreenperennialsandarecommonlyknown as sweet violet, English violet, orwood violet. Their delicatelyperfumedflowersareoneofthefirstflowerstoappearinthespring,andtheyreallyareahiddendelighttohaveinyourgarden.

There aremany cultivated varieties ofViolaodorata to choose from,withpurple,pink,orwhitesingleflowers.Tomakethebesttea,chooseahighlyscentedvarietythatflowersprolifically.Violetsarethoughttobringgoodfortuneandareasymbolofgoodluck.TheywereNapoleon’sfavoriteflower,andwerewornbyhiswife,Josephine,onherweddingday. During Victorian times, the violet triumphed in popularity, beingused for tea andmanyother culinarydishes.Another species of viola,Violatricolororwildpansy,isknownas“Heartease”becauseofitsheart-shapedleaves.Thisspeciescanalsobeusedtomaketea.

MedicinalBenefits

Violet flowers and leaves can be used to make tea. Violets are anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antifungal. The leaves contain a lot ofvitaminCandmayhelpwithhayfeverandsinuscongestion.Theymayalso help relieve headaches and reduce anxiety. It canhave a laxativeeffectandshouldnotbetakeninexcess.

ToGrow

Violetscanbedifficultandtimeconsumingtogrowfromseedbecausetheyneedacoldperiodtogerminate.Sowseedsinthewinterandleavein a cold greenhouse until new shoots appear in the spring.Mice andantsliketoeatvioletseeds,socoverthetraywithasheetofglassoraplasticbagtohelpprotectthemuntiltheygerminate.Itiseasiertostartoffwithsomesmallplugplantsorstarters.Transplanttheseintoamixoforganicpottingsoilandgrittoimprovedrainage.Re-pottheplantasitgrowsandfeedyourvioleteveryspring.Youcanplantyourviolet intheground.Theyparticularly liketobe

planted beneath deciduous trees or shrubs so that they experiencesummershadeandwintersunshine.Seed-producingflowersgrowinthelatesummer/fall,soifyoudonot

want seeds spread all over your garden, remove these before they areripe.Seedsareripewhentheyarebrowninsidetheseedpod.Violetsalsoreproducebymakingrunners.Taketherunneroffandif ithasasmallrootdeveloping,potitandmakeanewplant.Removingtherunnersalsoencourages the plant tomakemore flowers.Mulching the plantswithorganic homemade compost helps to feed the violets and keeps themmoist,too.Violaodoratadonotlikeheat,sotheyarenotsuitabletobegrown inside. Ifyouonlyhave insidespace, suchasawindowsill,youcan choose to grow Parma violets, which are tender and not frostresistant (USDA Zone 8). They have double flowers and a differentperfumeandtaste.

ToHarvest

Harvest the flowers you have grown yourself to be sure there are nochemicalspraysonthem.Theyflowerfromearlyspring,soharvestoncetheflowersareinfullbloom,asthisiswhentheyhavethemostscent.Nipoff theflowersandleavesat thebaseonthestem, leavingenoughleavesfortheplanttocontinuetogrowhappily.Thenremovethestemsfromtheharvestedflowersandleavesandtheyarereadytobeusedinacupoffreshviolettea.Drytheflowersandleavestostoreforlateruse.They do not take a long time to dry and the flowers will keep theirbeautifulcolor.

ToMakeTea

Fillthekettlewithfreshwater.Bringthewatertoaboil,thenpoursomeinto your teacup or teapot to warm it up. Discard the water. Put sixflowersandfourleavesintoateabagorteapot(addmoreifyoupreferastrongerflavor).Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overthetea.Allowtheteatosteepforthreeminutes.Ifyouhaveusedpurpleflowersyourteawillbeturningabeautifulbluecolor.Remove the teabagorpour the tea from the teapotusinga teastrainer.Putonefreshflowerinthecupasdecoration,andenjoy.Violetteahasaverymild,gentletasteandasweetvioletflavorandaroma.Tomakevioleticedtea,maketheteainthesamewaybutuselarger

amountsofvioletsaccordingto thesizeofyour jugorcontainer. Iusetwohandfulsofvioletflowers,onehandfulofleaves,andabout1quart(1 liter) of water. Pour on boiled water and allow to infuse for 5minutes.Straintheliquidthroughasieveintoabowlorjugandleavetocool at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours untilwellchilled.Servewithvioletsfrozeninicecubes.

TeaBagFriends

•Violetteaisverymildtasting,soserveitwithasliceoffresh

lemon.

•Tohelpwithhayfever,tryblendingvioletswithchamomile.Putapinchofeachintoateabagorteapotandinfuseasbefore.

•Forateatohelpwithsinusdiscomfortyoucantryadecoctionofmyrtleinfusedwithateabagofviolet.Steepthevioletfor3minutesinthestrainedmyrtledecoction(seemyrtle).Removetheteabagtoserve.

•Violetisalsogoodtoblendwithblacktea.Makeupabagofdriedvioletsandblackteaandsetasidetoallowtheflavorstoinfuse.Steepandserveasyouwouldregularblacktea,withoutmilk.

TIPS

DONOTconfuseAfricanvioletswithviolets.Theyareacompletelydifferentplantandarenotedible.Itisvitaltoclearlyidentifyaplantbeforeusingit.

ROOTS

Angelica

Angelicaarchangelica

Angelicaisabiennialplant,andsomespeciescangrowupto5feet(1½meters) tall. It has large ornamental stems and serrated light greenleaves.TherearemanyvarietiesofAngelica,butarchangelicaisthemainoneusedformedicinalpurposes.Itisaplantthathasbeenreveredforits medicinal use for over a thousand years. There are two folk talesabouthowitwasnamed.Anangelwassaidtohaveappearedtoamonk,

holding the plant, saying that it could cure the plague. It was alsobelieved to be named angelica as it flowers on the feast day of thearchangelMichael.Therootisthemostmedicinalpartoftheplant,butyoucanalsouseyoungleavesandstemstomakeangelicatea.InChinaaspeciesofangelicacalled“DongQuai,”orAngelicasinensis,isusedandknownas“femaleginseng.”

MedicinalBenefits

Angelicateaisexcellentforall-aroundgoodhealth.ItcontainsvitaminB12, folic acid, and niacin. It increases bloodflow and can help withheadaches, and is good for people with high blood pressure. It is awarmingherbandcan improvecirculation. Ithelpswithdigestionandcanrelievestomachpain,flatulence,colic,andindigestion.

ToGrow

Itiseasiesttobuyaplantintheveryearlyspringtostartoff.Angelicacanbeplantedinanytypeofsoil,preferablyinapartlyshadedspot.Itlovesmoist soil, so itwould bewell suited to an areanear a pondormarsh. Ifyoudonothaveagarden itcanbeplanted intoa largerpotand placed on a balcony. Keep it well watered and remove any deadyellowleaves.Ifitisallowedtogotoseedinitssecondyear,collecttheseedsfromtheflowerheadinlatesummerandsowthemwhiletheyarestill ripe (within three weeks). Sow the seeds in a seed tray withoutcovering them with soil, and place the tray on a windowsill or in agreenhouse.Whentheseedlingsareabout0.7inch(2cm)tall,separatethem and transplant into pots. Grow these inside until the followingspringwhen youwill have fresh new angelica plants to grow outside.Theycanself-seedifplantedinagarden.

ToHarvest

Harvest the leavesandstems in thesummerwhen theyareyoungandfresh. Chop them up into small pieces and use fresh, or dry them forlaterusealongsidetheroot.Harvesttherootintheautumnofitsfirstorsecondyearbeforeitdiesback.Diguptheplantorremoveitfromthepotandcleanoffthesoil.Breakoffthesmallerrootstoleavethemainrootsystem.Washasmuchofthesoiloffasyoucan.Choptherootsintovery small pieces andput them in a sieve.Washverywell under coldwater, picking out any lumps of soil or stones. When the root iscompletely clean, spread it out on a tray and dry in an oven or in adehydrator.Whenitiscompletelyhardanddry,itisreadytouse.Therootshouldnotbeusedfresh.

ToMakeTea

Youneedtomakeadecoctionofdriedangelicarootratherthanasimpleinfusion.Theharderrootneedstobeheatedforalongertimebeforeitreleases itsmedicinalproperties.Placea smallpinchofdried rootand1½ cups of water in a small saucepan, cover, and simmer for ten tofifteenminutes. Strain the liquor through a tea strainer into a teacup.Servehot.To use the leaves and stemwith the root, place a pinch of dried or

fresh leaves into a tea bag. Put the tea bag into a cup of hot freshlymade,strainedrootliquorforthreeminutesthenremovethebag.Thisisa strong tea with an acquired, slightly soapy taste. It has a slightnumbingeffectonthemouthandacalmingeffectonthebody.

TeaBagFriends

•Theflavorofangelicaisimprovedbyblendingitwithlemonbalm.Addapinchoflemonbalmtoyourangelicaleafteabagandsteepinthefreshlymaderootliquorasbefore.

•Tryblendingangelicawithcilantro/corianderseeds.Addapinchofangelicaroottoapinchofcrushedcilantroseedstoasmallsaucepanandbrewadecoctionasbefore.Agreat

digestivetea.

TIPS

Angelicaatropurpurea,orAmericanangelica,canbefoundgrowingwildinNorthAmerica.Ithaslovelyarchitecturalpurplestemsandcanreachover6feet(2meters)tall.Donotusethisspeciestomaketea,asitsroothasaverybitter,unpleasanttaste.

Warning:Angelicashouldnotbeusedbypregnantorbreast-feedingwomenordiabetics.Thisteacanhaveadverseaffectsandcancausenauseainsomepeople.Usewithcaution

Chicory

Cichoriumintybus

Chichoriumintybushaslongstemswithbeautifulblueflowersthatopenduring theday. It is often foundgrowingwild inEurope andAmericaand is commonly called blue dandelion. It is grown for its root fromwhich ahighlymedicinal tea canbemade. It can alsobe roasted andusedasacaffeine-freecoffeesubstitute.Therearemanyotherdifferenttypesofchicorythathavebeencultivated.Mostpeoplewillknowitasa

vegetable that looks similar to a lettuce or cabbage. The speciesChichoriumintybus includes “Whitloof” (Belgianchicory), “RedVerona”(redchicory),and“PaindeSucre”(SugarLoaf)chicory.Thesevarietiesaregrownfor their leavesandused inwintersalads. It is thecommonChichoriumintybuswhichyouneedtomaketea.Youcanalsousechicoryflowersandyoungleavestoaddtotherootfortea.

MedicinalBenefits

ChicoryishighinproteinandisrichinvitaminsA,C,B,andK.Thereare many medical claims for chicory including that it can alleviatepremenstrualsymptoms,helptolowercholesterol,andaidweight loss.It is believed to help the body absorb calciumand eliminate toxins inyourbloodand liver.Manypeoplehave a cupof chicory teabefore amealtohelpwithdigestion.

ToGrow

Chicory is a hardy perennial, whichmeans it lives formore than oneyear. Every year the roots will expand into a larger more establishednetwork and everywinter after it has flowered, it dies back, andwillcomeupagainthefollowingspring.YoucangrowchicoryfromseedsinthespringfromApriltoMay.Sow

seedsthinlyas instructedontheseedpacket, intoatrayorsmallpots,and place on a sunny windowsill or in a warm greenhouse. Keepwatered. When the seedlings are about ¾ inch (2 cm) tall, separatethem.Liftandreplanttheseedlingsintosmallpotsandgrowtheminsideuntilyouhaveasmallplant.Inordertoharvestchicoryinyourfirstyear,buyatwo-orthree-year-

old plant in the springtime. Plant it in the garden in a sunny place,bearinginmindthateachplantwillgrowtoaround3feet(90cm)tall.Ifyouwant togrowchicory inapotorcontainer, chooseaverydeeppot(about24inches/60cmdeep),asthetaprootneedsroomtogrow.

ToHarvest

Diguptheplantinthelateautumnbeforethegroundfreezes.Becarefultoliftthewholeroot,soloosenthesoilaroundtheplantbeforepullingitout.Ifyouwouldliketokeepsomeoftheplanttogrowfornextyear,divide the rootwhere you can see a new shoot developing. Plant thisbackintoapotorintheground.Taketherootyouwanttouseandcutoffthetopoftheplant.Therootisveryhardsouseaserratedknifetocuteithersideoftherootandthensnapitoffwithyourhands.Washtherootusingascrubbingbrushtoremoveanyremainingsoil.Picksomeofthebeautifulflowersandleavestousealongsidetheroot.Peeltherootandthensliceitintopieces.Youwillfindthetopoftheroottoohardtoslice,butremoveasmuchasyoucan.Itisnowreadytousefreshorcanbedriedfor lateruse.Todrytheroot,spreaditonabakingsheetandplace it in a low oven (212°F/100°C or lower). Break the slices intosmaller pieces when they are completely dry. To dry the flowers andleavesspreadthemoutonatrayorflatsieveandleaveinawarmroomorneara radiator, turning themevery sooften.When theyare totallydryandcrispytheycanbestored.Placetheleavesandflowersandrootinseparatesealedglasscontainersandkeepinadrydarkcupboarduntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Youneedtomakeadecoctionofchicoryroot.Theharderrootneedstobeheatedforalongertimetoreleaseitsmedicinalpropertiesandflavor.Place a small pinch of dried root and 1½ cups of water in a smallsaucepan,cover,andsimmerfortentofifteenminutes.Straintheliquidthroughateastrainerintoateacup.Servehot.Youcanaddapinchofdried leavesand flowers to the freshlymade rootdecoction. Infuse forthreeminutes.Strainandserve.Forabeautifultea,dropafreshchicoryflowerheadintotheteacupbeforedrinking.This teadoesnothaveanaromabutittastessweet,andalittlelikefudge!

TeaBagFriends

•Chicoryblendedwithrosepetalmakesagreatcleansingtea.Addapinchofrosepetalstoafreshlymadechicorydecoctionandsteepforthreeminutes.Strainintoateacup.

•Chicoryisalsogoodblendedwithlavender.Theteahasalavenderaromaandachicorytaste.Infuseapinchoflavenderwithchicorydecoctionasabove.Itisagoodteaforoverallwell-being.

TIPS

Tomakechicorycoffee,cleanandpreparethefreshrootasbeforeandthenslicetherootintosmallpieces.Placetheslicedrootonabakingsheetandroastitintheovenat350°F(176°C)foraboutsixtyminutesuntildarkerbrown.Movethepiecesaroundaftertenminutestoensurethatallsidesarebrowned.Grindtheroastedchicoryinacoffeegrinderanduseasyouwouldcoffeebeans,orbrewasadecoctionasbefore.Thishasasweetcaramelflavor.

Warning:Chicoryhasbeenknowntocauseskinirritation,so

donotuseifyouhavelatexsensitivity.Aswithallteas,consumeinmoderation.

Echinacea

Echinacea

Echinacea isanattractiveherbaceousperennial that iseasy togrowinmost gardens. It is also known as coneflower or purple coneflower.NativeAmericanshaveusedechinaceaasamedicinalplantforhundredsof years. The name comes from the Greek word echinos, meaning“hedgehog,”becauseof itspricklycentral flowercone. Itcanbe foundgrowingwild inmany US states, but it is now protected in its native

habitatandmustnotbepicked.Therearethreespeciesofechinaceausedformedicinalpurposes,allof which are suitable to use for tea: Echinacea purpurea, Echinaceaaugustifolia,andEchinaceapallida.E.purpureahasasweetscentedflowerwithlessdroopingpetalsthanE.augustifolia.E.pallida(illustratedinthepainting),hasthindroopingpetalsthatarea lightpinkcolor,andthinpointedleaves.Youcanaddaninfusionoftheleavesandflowerstotheroot.

MedicinalBenefits

Echinacea isanherb that is still commonlyusedbymanypeople. It iswidely believed that it strengthens the immune system to fight sorethroats, colds, and flu. It may be most effective if taken at the earlystagesofinfection.Itmayalsohelpwithdigestion.

ToGrow

Echinaceaisalovelyplanttohaveatthebackofaflowerbedorinpotstogive someheightandcolor toyourgarden throughout the summer.An echinacea plant must be at least three years old before you canharvestit’srootfortea,sobuyamatureplanttobeginwith.Moreplantscaneasilybegrowninthespringfromseed,andthesecanbeharvestedin future years. Echinacea likes well-drained, fertile soil and a sunnyposition. Prepare your soil by mixing in some homemade compost orwell-rottedmanure.Ifyouaregrowinginapot,mix50percentpottingsoilwith 50 percent perlite or fine grit to help improve the drainage.Youcanmulcharoundyourmoreestablishedplantswithmanureinthespringtimeorusea liquid seaweed fertilizer throughout the summer ifyouaregrowing them inapot.Onceestablished,youcandivideyourechinacea plants in the fallwhen they have died back. Split the rootsapart using a fork or spade and replant or pot as before. Allow someflowerstogotoseedandsavesomeseedstosowthefollowingyear.

ToHarvest

Inthefallwhentheleaveshavediedback,digupyourplant.Cutoffaportion of root, leaving enough so that you can replant the echinaceaanditcancontinuetogrow.Washtherootyouareharvesting,usingascrubbing brush to get rid of any dirt. Chop the clean root into smallpieces and dry them. You can also use the flowers and leaves of theechinaceaplant.HarvesttheflowersandleavesanytimefromJune/Julythroughout the summer.The flowers shouldbepicked justbefore theyfully open. Chop up the leaves and flowers and dry them and spreadthem out on a baking tray or fine-mesh sieve and place somewherewarm and dry, turning them every so often. When the plant iscompletelydryandcrispystoreinasealedglasscontainerinadry,darkcupboarduntilneeded.Drytherootsinthesamewayorinalowoven.Storethedriedrootsinaseparatecontainer.

ToMakeTea

Tomakeadecoctionofechinacea,placetwopinchesofechinacearootand1½cupsofwater ina small saucepan, cover, andbring toaboil.Thenreducetheheatandsimmerfortentofifteenminutes.Theliquidwill have a strong yellow color. Add a pinch of echinacea leaves andflowerstothefreshlymadedecoctionandsteepforthreeminutes.Strainintoateacuptoserve.Theleavesandflowersturntheteaanolivegreencolor. Enjoy this calming and relaxing tea. It has an earthy taste andgivesatinglingsensationonthetongue.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendechinaceawithapinchoflemonororangethymeforacold-andcough-fightingtea.Putapinchofthymeintoafreshlymadeechinaceadecoctionandsteepforthreeminutes.Strainintoateacuptodrink.

•Ifindthetasteofechinaceaimproveswhenblendedwithlavenderasthisalsogivestheteaanaroma.Putapinchoflavenderintoafreshlymadeechinaceadecoction,coverandsteepforthreeminutes.Strainintoateacuptodrink.

•Foradigestion-boostingtea,serveanechinaceadecoctionwithasliceoffreshginger.

TIPS

Theflowershavestronguprightstemsthatmakethemperfecttouseinflowerarrangements.

Warning:Somepeopleareallergictoechinacea.Ifyouareatallconcerned,consultamedicalpractitionerbeforeusingechinacea.Youshouldconsumethisteainmoderation.

Ginger

Zingiberofficinale

GingerisanancientplantthatwasintroducedtotheNewWorldmorethan a thousand years ago from Asia. It is grown for its rhizome, orswollenundergroundstem,whichiswhyitisoftencalledstemginger.(Ihave listed it in the “root” section of this book for simplercategorization.) It belongs to the Zingiberaceae family,which includescardamomandturmeric.Zingiberofficinaleisreluctanttoflowerandhas

insignificantblooms,butthisisthespeciesyouneedtogrowtoharvestfortea.Otherspeciesofgingerhaveamazingflowers.Zingiberofficinalehas long, pointed, almost bamboolike green leaves. Ginger is nowcommerciallygrowninAsia,Africa,SouthAmerica,theCaribbean,andAustralia.InthePhilippines,adecoctionofgingeriscalledSalabattea.

MedicinalBenefits

Ginger tea is good for digestion andmay helpwith nausea and travelsickness. Essential oils found in ginger are antibacterial, so it is verygood to take regularly for overall well-being. It is believed to helprelievemusclestrainafterexerciseandisusedtohelpeasethepainofarthritis. It is a popular winter drink and is used to boost the body’sdefensesagainstcoldsandflu.Aswithallteas,consumeinmoderation,especiallyifyouarepregnant.

ToGrow

Gingerneeds tobegrownasahouseplantunlessyou live ina tropicalclimatewithaminimumtemperatureof86°F(30°C).Buyanestablishedplant to start off, as this means you should be able to harvest freshgingerinyourfirstyear.Themorematuretherhizome,thestrongerthetastewillbe.Keeptheplantwellwatered,butnotoverwatered,andmistthe leaveswithwaterevery sooften. If the leavesdevelopbrown tips,the plant may not be getting enough water. Feed with an organicfertilizer such as liquid seaweed every few weeks during the summergrowingseason,asgingersarehungryplants.Inthefall,whenthelightlevels are decreasing in a temperate climate, slowly stopwatering theplanttoencouragetheleavestodiedown.Bywinter,theleavesshouldhavealldiedoff,butthisdoesnotmeantheplantisdead.Pulloffthedrybrownleavessothatonlytherhizomeremains.Yourgingerisnowdormant and no growth is taking place. Do not water it. Store itsomewherecoolanddry.Ifyoudon’twantwhatappearstobeanemptypotinyourhouseoverthewinteryoucanremovetherhizomefromthesoil and store it in a cool, dry place until spring. Re-pot your gingerwhen the weather warms, and water it regularly again. Buds willdevelopintonewleavesandtheplantwillreawaken.Youcangrow freshginger froma rhizomepurchasedat thegrocery

store. Choose a plump and firm-looking rhizome with buds alreadyformed. Fill a pot with a mixture of 50 percent potting soil and 50percentvermiculiteorperlite,tohelpwithdrainage.Plantthegingersothatthebudisjustbelowthesurfaceofthesoilandispointingupward.Waterthegingerandthencoverthepotwithaplasticbagsecuredwitharubberband.Whenyoucanseethebudgrowing,removethebag. Itmaytakeafewyearstogrowagingerlargeenoughtoharvest,butthisis a cheap way of obtaining your own ginger plant. If you live in atropical climate, it is easy to grow ginger in the ground or in a potoutside. In this instance, it likes fertile, well-drained soil, and a semi-sunnypositionwithlotsofwater.Mulchthegroundtohelpwithwaterlossandfeedtheplanteveryfewweeks.

ToHarvest

Yourgingerwillhaveachieveditsmaximumyearlygrowthbythefall,soharvest it atanypointaround this time,as longas it is establishedenough.Ifyourrhizomeisbigenough,youcansplititandreplantsomefor next year. You can increase the amount you harvest each year asyourplant develops.Washoff the selected roots and rhizomesusing abrushandmakesureallofthesoilisremoved.Youwillseemoreclearlytherootsandtherhizomesat thispoint.Cutoff the topstemsandthebigandsmallrootstoleavejusttherhizomes.Gratetheseandusefreshorspreadonaflatsieveormeshscreenandleavesomewherewarmtodryor spreadoutona tray in low temperatureoven (seehere).Whentotally dry and hard, store in a sealed glass container in a dry, darkcupboarduntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

Homegrowngingeriswonderfullyfreshandjuicyincomparisontothedrier and more fibrous store-bought ginger. A cup of freshly gratedgingerteahasagentlewarmingsensationsoitisagreatwintertea.Fillthe kettlewith freshwater.Bring thewater to a boil, thenpour someinto your teacup or teapot towarm it up. Discard thewater. Put twopinchesoffreshordriedgingerintoateabagorteapot.Pourtheboiledwater(whichshouldbebetween176to185°F/80to85°C)overtheteaandcoverwithasauceroralidtocontainthearoma.Allowtheteatosteep for threeminutes, then remove the teabagorpour the tea fromtheteapotusingateastrainerandenjoy.Ithasanamazingspicylemonyflavor.Itisalsogreatasanicedtea.Brewasbefore,allowtocool,andthen refrigerate until well chilled. Servewith ice cubes and a slice offreshginger.

TeaBagFriends

•Blendgingerwithsweetteavineforabody-balancingtea.Put

apinchofsweetteavinewithapinchofgingerintoateabagorteapotandsteepasbefore.Thismaybeagoodteatohelprecoveryafteroverexertion.

•Tryblendinglicoricewithgingerforacold-andflu-defensetea.Makeadecoction(seeLicorice)usingapinchofgingerandapinchoflicoricerootinthesaucepan.Thisisastrong-tastingteawitharealzingtoit.

•Honeysuckleisdeliciousblendedwithginger.Putaverysmallpinchofgingerandalargepinch(abouttenpetals)ofhoneysuckleflowersintoateabagorteapotandinfuseasbefore.

TIPS

Freshgingercanbemadeintocrystallizedgingerforasweettreat.Cutupafreshgingerrhizomeintoslices.Combine1cupofginger,1cupofwater,and1cupofsugarinasaucepanandsimmerforfifteentotwentyminutes.Straintheginger(besure

tosavethesyruptouseovericecreamoranotherdessert)andthencoattheslicesinmoresugar.Leavetocoolandtheneat.

Licorice

Glycyrrhizaglabra

Licorice (spelled liquorice in the UK and Australia) is from theLeguminosaeorpea family. It isanherbaceousperennial so itwilldiedown in the colder winter months. It has small light blue to purpleflowersandwonderfullongseedpods,butyoumaynotseetheseunlessyou live in a warm climate. It has pointed, oval-shaped, green leavesthatgrowinpairsalongthestems.ItisnativetosouthernEurope,Asia,

andnorthernAfrica.Licoricehasbeentakenmedicinallyforthousandsofyears.TheGreeksusedittotreatasthmaandAlexandertheGreatgaveittohistroopstochew on long marches, to quench their thirst and improve theirendurance. The nameGlycyrrhiza comes from the Greekwords glukos,meaning sweet, and riza,meaning root. It contains a compound calledglycyrrhizinthatisfiftytimessweeterthansugar,hencewhythisplantissometimescalledsweetroot.

MedicinalBenefits

Therearebelievedtobesomanymedicinalbenefitsoflicoricethatitishardtoknowwheretobegin.Licoriceisananti-inflammatoryandmayhelp with stomach, urinary, and intestinal problems, as well asheartburnandacidreflux.Itisgoodformouthandstomachulcers,andhelpsreducethepainofsorethroats,whichiswhyitisoftenmadeintolozenges. It isbelievedtohelpcleanthe liverbyremovingtoxins fromthebody,anditmayhelplowercholesterol.Itmayalsohelptoreducestressandrelievedepression.

ToGrow

Youcansow licorice seeds in theearly spring,butgerminationcanbeerratic.Potseedlingswhentheyareabout½inch(2cm)tallandkeepthem inside to protect them from late frosts. The seedlings can beplantedoutsidewhentheweatheriswarm.Trytobuyamoredevelopedplant(twotothreeyearsold)tostartoff,astherootstakeafewyearstogrowlargeenoughtoharvest.Plantitinwell-drained,rich,sandysoilinasunnyposition.Aswithpeas,thelicoricerootsactuallyfixnitrogeninthesoilsothegroundactuallybenefitsfromhavinglicoriceplantedinit.It is quite an unruly plant so cut back leggy stems to encourage newgrowthfromthebottom.Youcangrowitinacontainerifyouhavenoalternative and especially while the plant is young. Licorice is hardyoncetheplantisestablished,sobringitintoanunheatedgreenhouseorwindowsillduringcoldermonthsifitislessthantwoyearsold.You can propagate the plant by splitting the established root in the

fall.Findalongpieceofrootthathasabudonit,andseparateit.Plantin a pot with a mix of 60 percent organic potting compost and 40percentsharpsandorhorticulturalgrit.Harvestpartoftherootatthistime.Your plantwill die back over thewinter and all the foliagewilldisappear.Youhardlyneedtowater itat this time. In thespring,newshootswillappear.

ToHarvest

Each year, you should be able to harvest a larger amount of licorice.Onceyouhavedugitup,washtherootsundercoldrunningwater,usingascrubbingbrushtogetinbetweenthesmallerroots.Usingscissors,cutup the thinnerpiecesof roots into smallpieces.Useaknife tocut thelargerpartoftherootintothinslices.Todrylicorice,placetherootonabakingsheetintheovenatalow

temperature212°F(100°C),orinadehydratoruntilcompletelydryandhard.Storeinasealedglasscontainerinadryanddarkcupboarduntilneeded.

ToMakeTea

You need to make a decoction of licorice root, rather than a simpleinfusion.Placetwopinchesofdriedrootand1½cupsofwaterinasmallsaucepan,cover,andsimmerfortentofifteenminutes.Straintheliquidthroughasieveorateastrainerintoateacup.Servehot. It isa lovelydeep orange color with a mild licorice flavor. The sweet, fresh greentaste remindsme it is related to the pea, but it also tastes rather likenoodles! It has a wonderful calming effect on the body and a slightcoolingeffectinyourmouth.Youshouldreusetheroottomakeanotherdecoction.

TeaBagFriends

•Tomakeagreatdigestivetonic,blendfennelwithlicorice.Putapinchoffennelseeds,apinchoflicoriceroot,and1½cupsofwaterintoasaucepan,cover,andsimmeronalowheatfor10to15minutes.Straintheliquidthroughateastrainerintoateacup.Thisisastronganddelicioustea.Reuseyourlicoriceandfenneldecoctionformorethanonecup.

•Tryblendinglicoricewithgingerforacold-andflu-defensetea.Makeadecoctionasbefore,usingapinchoffreshordriedgingerandapinchoflicoriceroot.Thisisastrongteawitharealzingtoit.

•Tryblendingchamomilewithlicoriceforanimmune-boostingandcleansingtea.Addapinchofchamomiletoafreshlymadelicoricerootdecoctionandsteepforthreeminutes.Strainintoateacuptodrink.

•Licoriceislovelyservedwithasprigoffreshanisehyssoptogiveitagreateraniseedflavor.

TIPS

Helichrysumpetiolareiscommonlycalledthelicoriceplant,butthisplantisnotrelatedtoGlycyrrhiza.AlwaysusetheLatinnametobesureyoubuytherightplant.

Warning:Toomuchlicoricemayraiseyourbloodpressureandcauseheadaches,soaswithalltheteas,consumeinmoderation.Itisalsonotrecommendedforwomenwhoarepregnantorbreast-feeding.

FurtherPlantAdviceThemostwonderful thing about growing your own plants is that youcanguaranteethatnochemicalshavebeenusedonthem.Makesureallsoil fertilizers,plant food,andpest-preventionmethodsareorganic, soastopreservetheecosystemofyourgrowingspace.Youshouldalwayspickthefreshest,youngest leavesof theplant fortea,andusethemordrythemonthedaytheyareharvestedforthebestresults.It is vital thatyou identify the correctplants, soalways refer to the

Latinnamewhenbuyingthem.Ihavelistedtheplantsbytheircommonname and then the Latin name in italic. A system of universal plantclassification exists to help unravel a plant’s history and help withcorrect identification. The system lists a plant first by its family (i.e.,Apiaceae), then the genus to which it belongs (i.e.,Angelica). Then adescriptiveword or epithet combineswith the genus name tomake aname for the plant species (i.e., Angelica archangelica). Plants can befurther categorized into subspecies, cultivars, and hybridswith furthersubdivisions.Itishelpfultoknowthefamilyaplantbelongsto,asthiscan really help to know the conditions and care the plant needs tothrive.Manyoftheplantsinthisbookareperennialandtakemorethanone

year to complete their life cycle from seed tomaking seeds and thendying.Anannualcompletesitslifecycleinayear.Herbaceousplantsarenon-woody plants that die back into the soil to go dormant over thewinter and reappearwithnew shoots in the spring.A shrub is aplantthathaswoodystemsgrowingfromthebaseoftheplant,suchasmyrtleor rosemary. An evergreen plant will keep its leaves all year round,whileadeciduousplantwillloseitsleavesinthefallandregrowtheminthespring.Ihavewrittenthisbookwithatemperateclimate inmind.Askyour

plant supplier for specific growing advice for your own climate andlocation.

Soil

The key to successful growing is the soil, which should ideally be 80percentloamand20percenthumus.Gardensoilorloamisamixtureofsand,clay,andsilt.Throughouttheyearyoushouldaddorganichumus(decomposed plant matter) to your soil. This could be homemadecompost from a compost bin, well-rotted farm manure, or mushroomcompost.Thesematerials increasesoil fertilityandimprovethetextureanddrainageof thesoil.Youcanalsoaddsharpsand tohelp improvedrainage ifyouhaveheavysoil.Whenasoilhasagoodmixtureofallthese elements itwillhavea light, crumbly texture. Itwill bea livingsoilthatwillenableyourplantsandtheenvironmenttothrive.

IfyouhaveagardenyouwillneedtocheckthesoilpHtoseeifyouhaveacidic,neutral,oralkalinesoil.IfthepHis0to6.5,itisacidic;ifthepHis7, it isneutral;and if thepHis7.7 to14, it isalkaline.Theeasiest way to grow plants that do not like your soil type is tomakeraisedbedsorusecontainersthatcanbefilledwithsuitablesoil.Ifyouare growing plants in containers, always buy the best quality organic,peat-free potting soil and add sharp sand, horticultural grit, bark, orperlitetoimprovedrainage,ifneeded.Whengrowingaplantfromseed,youcanuseaspecialistseed-sowingcompost,whichissiftedtoaveryfinetextureandcontainsfewnutrients.

Mulch isa layerofhumus, straw,orothermaterialplacedaroundaplantontopofmoistsoiltohelpretainmoisture,protecttheplantfrompests,andprovidenutrientsfortheplant.

Propagation

Creatingnewplantsfromseeds,cuttings,ordivisionisoneofthemostrewardingthingstodointhegarden.Seeeachplantforspecificdetails.

CUTTINGS

Therearethreemaintypesofcuttings:stem,leaf,androot.Iwillfocusonstemcuttings(softwoodandsemi-hardwood),asthesearesuitableformanyoftheplantsinthisbook.

SoftwoodCuttings

•Youusetheyoungnewgrowthofasteminthespringtimetotakeasacutting.Plantsfromwhichyoucantakesoftwoodcuttingsincludegeranium,mint,blueberry,lemonverbena,andsage,amongothers.

•Getacleanpotorcontainerwithgooddrainageholesandfillitwithamixtureoftwopartsofpottingsoilandonepartofperlite(naturallyoccurringvolcanicrock).Perlitehelpstoimprovedrainage,whichisimportantasthesecuttingscaneasilyrotwhenexposedtotoomuchmoisture.

•Findanon-flowering,young,healthystemandcutoffthetopsothatthecuttingisabout2to3inches(5to7cm)long.

•Whenyouhavetakenafewcuttings,poptheminaplasticbagandkeepthemintheshade.

•Cutdownthebaseofthefirstcuttingjustbelowaleafjoint(wherealeafisgrowingoutofthestem),asthisisthepointfromwhichnewrootswillmosteasilygrow.

•Removethelowerleavesofthecuttingwithaknife.Cutofftheverytopleavesofthecuttingtoencourageittobushout.

•Makeaholeinthecompostusingatoothpick.•Ifyouhaveaccesstoorganichormonerootingpowder,dipthebottomendofthecuttinginittohelptherootsdevelop.Mosthormonerootingpowderscontainsyntheticplanthormonesandsoarenotsuitablefortheorganicgardener,butyoumaybeabletofindanorganicvariety.

•Insertthecuttingintotheholeyoumadeinthecompostandcompactthesoilaroundittokeepsecure.Donotpushthecuttingtoofardownasyoudonotwanttheleavesofthecuttingtotouch

thesoilastheycanrotiftheydo.•Waterthecuttingfromthetopbymistingitwithasprayer.•Labelyourcutting.•Formostsoftwoodcuttings,itisrecommendedthatyouplaceaplasticbagoverthepottohelpincreasetheheatandhumidityforthecuttingtoencouragegrowth.Makesurethebagdoesnottouchtheleaves—ifitdoes,usestickstoactasaframeworkaroundtheplant.Securethebagtothepotwitharubberband.Removethebageveryfewdayssothatthemoistureinsideitdoesnotbuilduptoomuch.•Placethepottedcuttingonalight,sunnywindowsillandmistitwithwatermostdays.•Afterafewweeks,therootsshouldhaveformedandyoucanremovethebag.Leavethecuttinginthesamelocationtoallowittimetoadjusttothisnewtemperature.Iftheweatheroutsideiswarmenough(doesnotfluctuatetoomuchfromwarmtocold)youcanslowlystarttogetitusedtobeingoutside.Placethecuttingoutsideduringthedaywhentemperaturesarewarmer,forlongerandlongerperiods.Bringitinatnighttimeinitially,leavingitoutsidethewholetimeafterafewweeks.Thisprocessiscalledhardeningoff.

Semi-HardwoodCuttings

Semi-hardwoodorsemi-ripecuttingsaretakeninthelatesummerorfall, from plants such as myrtle, mountain pepper, rosemary, andmanuka.Usethesamemethodassoftwoodcuttingsbutadd50percentperliteorsharpsandtothepottingsoilasthesecuttingsneedverywell-drainedsoil.Itcanhelptoremovethebarkfromonesideofthebaseofthe cutting. Water semi-hardwood cuttings less often than softwood,perhapsonceaweek,astheweatherwillnotbesowarmatthistimeofyear.Keepthecuttinginsideinaplacethatgetsplentyoflight,untilitcan be put outside the following spring. They can take a long time torootwell.YoucanpropagateCamelliasinensisbyatypeofcuttingknowasleafbudcuttings.

SOWING

Seeds are a greatway of getting a lot of plants cheaply. Some plants,however, are very difficult and slow to grow from seed. Seeds needwater and moisture to germinate. Using a heated propagator to givewarmth to the rootsmakes seed germinationmuch easier. Some seedscan be sown straight outside. This has the advantage that you do nothavetotransplanttheseedlings,butthedisadvantagethatyouhavetowait for the weather to warm up before you can sow. You shouldprepareyourgardenbyweedingitwell,thenaddsomeorganichumus,whichyoucanmixinasyoudigandturnoverthesoil,andthenrakethesurfaceflat.Allseedsneedthesoiltobeacertaintemperaturebeforethey will germinate. Read the specific seed packets for each plant todecidewhenandwheretogrow.Asageneralrule, theseedshouldbeplantedtwiceasdeepasthelengthoftheseed,sothebiggertheseed,thegreaterthedepth.

AGeneralGuidetoSeedSowing

•Useagoodqualityseed-sowingcompostorseed-startingmix,preferablyonethatispeatfree.

•Filltheseedtray,module,orpotwithsoil(youcanuserecycledcontainersaslongastheyhavedrainageholesinthebottom).Dropthesoilingentlysoitdoesnotcompact.Leveloffthesoilbymovingyourhandacrossthecontainerfromsidetoside.

•Tapthecontainerthreetimesagainstaflatsurfacesothatthesoilsettlesbelowthetopedge.Youcanlightlyflattenyoursoilwithablocktocreateaveryevensurface,butbecarefulnottocompactthesoil.•Pickoffanylittlestonesorsoillumpsthatmayhavecometothesurface.•Cupyourlefthandandtipsomeseedsintoitsothatyoucanuseyourrighthandtosprinkletheseedsoverthesoil.•Sowtheseedsasthinlyasinstructedontheseedpacket.•Byhand,orusingasieveifyouhaveverysmallseeds,carefullycovertheseedswithalayerofsoilorvermiculite.•Watercarefullyusingawatersprayerorawateringcanwitharose,startingthewaterflowingawayfromtheseedtray.Youdon’twanttowashtheseedsaway.•Placethecontainersomewherewarmandlight,suchasinagreenhouseoronasunnywindowsill.•Labelyourseedswiththenameandthedateassomeseedscantakeweekstogerminate.•Youcancoveryourseedswithalidorplasticbagtiedwithanelasticbandtohelpincreasethehumidityaroundtheseedsandkeepthetemperaturerelativelyconstant.•Waterlightlymostdayswithroom-temperaturewater;avoidusingcoldwater.Seedsneedtobekeptmoistatalltimesbutwilleasilyrotifexposedtotoomuchmoisture.Theywillnotsurvivedryingout,either,sokeepaneyeonthesoil.Fillupyoursprayerorwateringcanattheendofeachwateringsothatithascometoroomtemperaturebythetimeyouwateryourseedlingsthefollowingday.

TRANSPLANTING

It is crucial to transplantyour seedlingsbefore theybecome leggyandweak,otherwisetheywillneverhaveenoughenergytogrowintostrongbushyplants.Whenyourseedlingshavegrownfourleavesandyoucansee their roots appearing through the bottomof themodule tray, it istimetotransplantthemtogivetheirrootsmoreroomtogrow.•Fillyourpot(s)withorganicpottingsoil/compostandleveloffthetopwithyourhand.

•Tapthepottwiceonaflatsurfacesothatthesoilsettles.•Makeaholeinthesoilaccordingtothesizeofyourseedling’sroot;ifindoubt,makeitbiggerthanyouthinktopreventtherootsfrombeingsquashed.

•Carefullylifttheseedlingoutofitspotbysqueezingthepotwithonehandandliftingtheseedlingbyitsleafwiththeother.Someseedlingsdon’tliketheirstemsbeingtouched,soavoidliftingbythestem.Youmayneedtodivideyourseedlingsatthispointiftheyhavebeensowntoothickly.Gentlypulltheseedlingsapartandplantthemsinglyorinsmallgroupsoftwoorthree.Mint,coriander,andbergamotcanbeplantedinsmallgroups.

•Lowertheseedlingintotheholeandcompactthesoilaroundit,addingmoresoilifnecessary.

•Labelyourplant.•Watertheplantcarefullyandplaceitsomewherewarmandsheltereduntilitbecomesmoreestablished.Whentherootshavefilledthepotsyoucanrepotthemintothegardenoranothercontainer.

DIVIDING

When a perennial plant has either completely outgrown its pot or anolder perennial needs rejuvenating, it may be possible to divide it tomakeintomoreplants.It isgenerallybesttodivideplantsintheearlyspring. Plants suitable for dividing include chamomile, violets,bergamot,andlemonbalm.•Takeyourplantoutofthepotordiguptheplant,makingsuretherootsareasintactaspossible.

•Splittheplantusingatrowel,aspade,oryourhands,dividingitintosmallerbutstillgood-sizedplants.

•Pottheplantsintocontainerstosuittheirsizes,usingpottingcompost.

•Compactthesoilaroundtheplantandwaterwell.

Repotting

Ifyouaregrowingincontainersyouwillneedtorepotyourplantseveryyearorsotogivetheplantsmorespacetokeepgrowing.Springisthebesttimeofyeartorepotyourplants.•Chooseacontainerthatisthenextsizeupandalwaysmakesureithasgooddrainageholes.

•Putabrokenbitofpot,knownasacrock,inthebottomofthepottohelpfurtherimprovedrainage.

•Putasmallamountofsoilintothebottomofthepot.•Gentlyteasetherootsofyourplanttoencouragethemtogrowoutward.

•Placeyourplantintothenewcontainerandfillarounditwithpottingsoil,pressingdownwithyourfingersaroundtheplant’sroots.Fillthecontainertojustbelowthetopofthepotedgewithsoil.

•Waterwell.•Yourplantmaybenefitfromalittlepruningtotidyitupatthispoint(youmaybeabletousesomeoftheclippingsfortea).Thiswillencouragenewleafgrowthandgivetherootsmoreofachancetogrow.

•Youcanalsogivethemafeedwithaliquidfertilizersuchasseaweedtofurtherencouragegrowth.

Fertilizers

Ifyoursoil iswellmaintainedwithhumusyoushouldnotneedtoaddmuch fertilizer. It is more necessary if you grow your plants incontainers,asthereisalimitedamountofsoilfromwhichtheplantcanobtainnutrients.Fertilizers are either organic or nonorganic. Organic means the

fertilizerismadefromplantoranimalmatterandnonorganicmeansitismade from manmade chemicals or mined minerals. Nonorganicfertilizers are highly concentrated and get big results but have a hugeimpactontheenvironment.Organicfertilizersneedtheorganismsinthesoil tohelprelease thenutrientsso theyareslower toaffect theplant,but they are working in harmony with the environment. Examples oforganic fertilizers, sometimes labeled “natural organic fertilizers,”include bonemeal, fish blood and bone, chicken pellets, nettle tea,comfreyjuice,wormteafromawormery,andseaweed.Driedseaweedgranules or liquid seaweed is a great choice for a general-purposeorganicfertilizer.Seaweedalsohelpstheplantsfightpestsanddiseases.Calcifiedseaweedismadefromcalcifiedandcorallinealgaesochecktoseeif it isfromarenewablesourcebeforeyoubuy.Nettlesarehighinnitrogen(forgoodleafgrowth)andcomfreyishighinpotash(forflowerand fruit growth) and these feeds can be made easily and cheaply athome.Buyasmallcomfreyplantordivideanexistingplantandgrowitinacontainertopreventitsrootsfromspreading.Nettlesareboundtobefreelyavailableastheygroweverywhere.Inthesummerthenettlesand comfrey will be ready to harvest. Fill a bucketful of nettles orcomfreywithwater, cover, and leave it for two or threeweeks.Makesure you put a lid on, as they really smell.Water down the resultingliquid to 1 part fertilizer to 10 parts water and then use it to wateraroundthebaseofyourplants.

Hardiness

Thehardinessofyourplantswilldependonyourspecificclimate,sothisinformation should be used as a guideline only. In this book I haveclassifiedplantsas“hardy,”“semi-hardy,”or“tender.”Hardymeansthattheyaresuitabletobegrownoutsideallyearroundandcanwithstandtemperatures below 5°F (-15°C). Semi-hardy plants may be able towithstandaminimumtemperatureofbetween23and5°F(-5and-15°C)in the winter. During this time, semi-hardy plants should have someextra protection or to be sure, brought into an unheated shelteredenvironment suchasacoldgreenhouseorconservatory.Plantsoutsidein containersaremorevulnerableasa frost canmoreeasilyaffect theroots of the plant.Move the plant to amore sheltered position, wrapbubblewraparoundthepotleavingthetopopensotheplantcanstillbewatered, and place a horticultural fleece (available at all good gardencenters) over the top and sides of the plants to help insulate them.Horticultural fleece allows light, air, and moisture to permeate butcreates a warmermicroclimate beneath it to protect your plants fromfrosts.Folding the fleece tomakemore layersprovides theplantswitheven greater frost protection. Remove the fleece during the day if thetemperatureallowssothat theplantswillgetmore light.Other fabricswill not allow enough light to get to your plants andwill also absorbwaterandbecomeheavy,sotheyshouldnotbeused.

Ifyourplantistenderitshouldonlybeputoutsideinwarmweatherwhenthereisnodangerofasuddendropintemperature.Tenderplantswillnotwithstandatemperatureoflessthan32°F(0°C).Treatthemasahouseplantifyourclimateisnotwarmenoughandtrytokeeptheminasunnyandlightplace.All plants, especiallywhen they are seedlings, donot like tohave asudden change in temperature, so it is necessary to harden plants off.Thissimplymeanstoacclimatizeyourplanttobeingoutside.Iftheyareusedtobeinginsideaheatedhousetheywillnotsurvivesuddenlybeingoutside(unlessthetemperatureissimilartotheinsidetemperature).Itisreally useful to have an unheated greenhouse to act as a step tohardeningoff.Thenyoucanplaceplantsoutsidefor longerandlongerlengthsoftimeduringtheday,andfinallyleavethemoutsideovernight.

PestsandDiseases

To tacklepests suchaswhiteflyandgreenfly,youcanmakeyourowngarlicspraysimplyandcheaply.Crushtwoorthreeclovesofgarlicinamortar and pestle. Transfer them to a large bowl and add a quart (1liter)ofboilingwater.Setasideovernight.Thenextmorning,straintheliquidthroughasieveintoabowl,discardingthegarliccloves.Transfertheliquidtoaspraybottle.Whenusinggarlicspray,makesureyoulifttheleavesuptospraytheundersidesasthisiswheretheinsectsliketohide.Spraytheleavesonconsecutivedaysforbestresults.Youcanalsobuy organic insecticidal soap spray for a large infestation if the garlicspray does not work. Nematodes are another biological method ofcontrolling pests like vineweevil, which can be a problem if you aregrowing in containers. Mildew is a white fungal mold that can be acommonproblem for some plants such as sage and bergamot. Preventmildew by not allowing your plants to dry out andmaking sure theyhave good air circulation. If you do get mildew, remove the affectedleaves as soon as possible and discard them—do not compost them.Spraytheremainingplantleaveswithmilkonconsecutivedaystohelpkeepmildewatbay.SnailsandslugsarealwayseatingmyplantssoItrytoencouragebirdstocomeandvisit.Donotuseslugpelletsasthesearepoisoningtheanimalswhothenfeedontheslugswhoeatthem.Ihavediscovered that lifting thepotsand leavesof largeplants to findsnailsandslugsisoneofthebestwaystokeepontopofthem.Youcanalsosetabeertrapbyburyingaglassofbeer inthesoil,uptotherimforthemtofallinto.Whenplantsareinthegroundyoucanalsotryeitherlaying sharp egg shells or putting plastic rings cut out of old drinkbottles around your small plants, a pretty effectivemethod if you putthem out early enough. I have also found that sprinkling seaweedgranules over the soil—as a fertilizer—also helps deter the slugs. Thebest lesson is tokeepontopofanydiseaseorpestandtodealwith itearlytopreventittakinghold.

FurtherTeaAdvice

DryingYourPlantsforTea

Therearevariousmethodsofdryingplantsfortea.Youcandrytheminanoven,adehydrator,anairingcupboard,thesun,orsimplyintheair.The speedandmethodofdryingaplantwill affect its flavor. It isnotactually the heat but good air circulation that creates the best dryingconditions.Experimentwithdifferentmethodsfordifferentplants—whatmaybeperfectforoneplantmaynotsuitanother.Yourclimatewillalsohelp determine the best method of drying. Any plants with specificdryingadvicewillbe listedin itsplantchapter.Oncedried, tea isbeststoredinasealedglasscontainerandkept inadryanddarkcupboarduntilneeded.

OVEN

Whenusing an oven you need a low temperature of 212°F (100°C) orlower formostplants.Usea fan-assistedoven ifyouhaveone, togivegoodair circulation.AnAgahas aplate-warmingoven,which is idealfordryingplants.I find the oven good for larger fruits that contain a lot ofmoisture

such as lemons or raspberries, for denser leaves such as myrtle andmountainpepper,andforallrootssuchaslicoriceandginger.Placetheplantonabakingsheetorinabakingdishandspreaditoutinasinglelayer as thinly as possible. It is important to keepmixing and turningyourplanttoensureitdriesevenly,socheckiteveryfiveortenminutes,dependingonwhatyouaredrying.Fruits,leaves,andflowersshouldbedryandcrispytothetouchandrootsshouldbehardwhencompletelydry.Theovenisthemostefficientmethodofdryingflowerheadssuchasrosesandcalendula.Spreadouttheheadsonabakingsheetor inabakingdish,allowinglotsofspacebetweentheflowers.Turntheflowerheads every tenminutes and removewhen dry and crispy. Theymaytakearound fortyminutes,dependingon the sizeof flower.Whenyousqueezethefloweritshouldnotbeflexible.Ifitisnotdriedcompletelytheflowerswillgomoldyinthestoragejar.Camelliasinensisleavesneeddifferent drying temperatures depending on the type of tea you aremaking. See the sections onWhite Tea, Green Tea and Black Tea fordetails.

DEHYDRATOR

Adehydratorisaneffectivedryingmethod,asitcreatesaconstantlowheatandallowsyoutoturntheplantthroughouttheprocess.Thecolorandtextureoftheplantsstaygood,too,soifyouaremakingalotofteaI recommend buying a dehydrator. They do take a long time—someplants canbe in there for twenty-fourhoursormore—so theycanuselotsofelectricity.Utilizethedehydratorfullyeachtimebydryinglotsofplants inonego.Fruitsandmost fleshy/moistplants shouldgoon thelower shelves, as the temperature will be higher. For small roots andplants such as thyme, you will need to line your dehydrator withgreaseproof paper or something similar otherwise it falls through theshelves.Thedehydratormanufacturershouldsellasuitableliner.

RADIATORORAIRINGCUPBOARD

Airingcupboardsprovidean idealenvironment inwhichtodryplants.Theyhaveaconstantwarm,dry,anddarkenvironment.However,notmany people have airing cupboards anymore, so using a low-temperature radiator when drying plants in the winter is a goodalternative.Idryalotofplantssimplybyspreadingthemthinlyoverafine-mesh screen and setting themon top of a low radiator. This heatsourcecanbetoodirect,soplaceatowelorclothovertheradiatorandthensetthescreenontop.Ifitisstilltoowarmandtheplantsaredryingtoorapidly,youcanplacetheplantsneartheradiator.

SUN

Youcanplacethescreenorbakingsheetofplantsoutinthesunifyouhaveastill (windless)andsunnyday.Movetheplantsarounda lot sotheyareexposedtotheair.Thismethodmayworkwellifyouliveinahotdry climatebutunfortunately, the sun canbleach the color out oftheplantandbetooharsh.

AIR

Fennel,coriander,lavender,andanisehyssopcanbehungupsidedowntoairdry.Hangplantsinsmallbunchessotheycandrymostefficiently.Tiethestemsusingarubberbandtightenoughthatitwillremainsecureonce the plants have dried and shrunk. For delicate seed heads, tie apaper bag over the head to help collect the seeds. In order for thisprocess toworkwell, they shouldbehung somewheredry,warm,anddarkwithgoodventilation.Takedownthebunchesassoonastheplantsaredryandcrispy.Whendryingplants in the summeryoucan simplyspread out the plants on a mesh or tray and place them in a well-ventilated room, out of direct sunlight, so that lots of fresh air passesover the plants. You need to check them often, moving them aroundeveryfewhoursorso.Thiscanbeagentlemethodofdryingplantssuchas jasmine or violet flowers and thinner,more delicate leaves such asmint, lemonverbena,or lemonbalmandtheytendtokeepgoodcolorwhendriedthisway.

SunTea

Youcanmake teawithoutakettleusing thewarmthandenergy fromthe sun. Fruits such as lemons, strawberries, and raspberries are wellsuitedtomakingsuntea.Placeyourchosenteainamasonjarorajugwith a lid, altering the quantity of plant as needed to suit the size ofyourjarorjug.Addcoldwater,cover,andplacethejarorjuginthehotsuntowarmforaboutfivehours.Stirtheteaafterafewhours.Youcanserve the tea warm or refrigerate it for two to three hours and servechilled.Imake a fresh lemonand lemonverbena sun teaby cuttingupone

lemon and putting it in amason jarwith a handful of lemon verbenaleaves before addingwater. Servewith ice and fresh lemon slices andlemonverbenaleaves.Tomakesweetstrawberryorraspberrysuntea,putthefreshfruitand

leavesintoamasonjarorajugandproceedasdirectedabove.Aftertheteahasbeeninthesunforfivehoursorso,straintheliquidthroughajelly bag or fine-mesh sieve into a jug, and place the tea in therefrigerator until chilled. Serve with ice cubes that have fruit frozeninside. You can freeze edible flowers such as violets, lavender, andcalendulapetalsinicecubestoaddaswell.

QuickPlantReferenceChart

*Note:themaximumheightistheheightaplantcangrowtogiventheperfectconditionsoutside.Youcanrestrict theheightofaplant ifyoukeepitinacontainerorpruneitregularly.Iftheplantisrecommendedas a houseplant, the height given will be the maximum height it canreachgrowingintheseconditions.

†Hardy:theplantcanwithstandtemperaturesbelow5°F(-15°C)(USDAZone7andbelow).Semi-Hardy:theplantcanwithstandaminimumtemperaturesomewherebetween23and5°F(-5and-15°C)(USDAZone8–9).Tender:theplantcanwithstandaminimumtemperatureof32°F(0°C).(USDAZone10andabove).

IndexofPlants

Theindexthatappearedintheprintversionofthistitledoesnotmatchthe pages in your eBook. Please use the search function on youreReadingdevicetosearchfortermsofinterest.

For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listedbelow.

A

angelica(Angelicaarchangelica)American(Angelicaatropurpurea)“DongQuai”(Angelicasinensis)

aniseed(Pimpinellaanisum)anisehyssop(Agastachefoeniculum)annuals,lifecycleofApaiceae(family)Asteraceae(family)

B

bergamot(Monarda)(redbergamot/Oswegotea)lemon(Monardacitriodra)redbeebalm(Monardadidyma)wild(Monardafistulosa)

blackcardamom(Amomumsubulatum).Seealsocardamomblackcurrantsage(Salviamicrophyllavar.microphylla)

blackpeppermint(Menthaxpiperita)blackteablueberry(Vacciniumcorymbosum)rabbit-eye(Vacciniumashei)

C

calendula(Calendulaofficinalis)

Camelliasinensis(teaplant),var.assamicablackgreenvar.sinensiswhitecanelo(Drimyswinteri).Seealsomountainpeppercardamom(Elettariacardamomum).SeealsoblackcardamomchachamomileGerman(Matricariarecutita)Roman(Chamaemelumnobile)chicory(compositeCichoriumintybus)cilantro/coriander(Coriandrumsativum)Citrusbergamia(bergamot).SeealsobergamotcranesbillgeraniumCucurbitaceae(family)culms(lemongrassstems)cuttingssemi-hardwoodsoftwood

D

deciduousplants,lifecycleofdecoctionsdehydratorsdisease,plantdividing,plantdryingmethods,plant

E

EarlGreyEchinacea(Echinacea)augustifoliapallidapurpureaericaceousevergreens,lifecycleof

F

fennel(Foeniculumvulgare)var.dulce(fennelusedasavegetable)“Purpureum,”“Rubrum,”fenugreek(“methi”)(Trigonellafoenum-graecum)fertilizersFortune,Robert(Britishbotanist)Ggardenmint(Menthasativa)ginger(Zingiberofficinale)gingermint(Menthaxgracilis“Variegata”)glycyrrhizin(compoundfoundinlicorice)graygreentea

H

hardiness,plantherbaceousplants,lifecycleofhoneysuckle(Lonicera)commonEuropean(Lonicerapericlymenum)Japanese(Lonicerajaponica)Lonicerafragrantissimatrumpet(Lonicerasempervirens)hummingbirdminthyssop(Hyssopusofficinalis)“Alba,”“Roseus,”

I

icedtea

J

jasmine,Carolina(Gelsemiumsempervirens)Jasminumsambac(“MaidofOrleans,”/“GrandDukeofTuscany”)officinale

kanuka(Kunzeaericoides)khawa(greencardamomtea)Lamiaceae(mint)(family)Lapsangsuchong

lavendercommon(Lavandulaangustifolia)mint(Mentha“Lavender”)pelargoniumsthyme

leafstalkLeguminosae(family)lemon(Citrusxlimon)lemonbalm(Melissaofficinalis)lemonbergamot(Monardacitriodra)lemongrass(Cymbopogoncitratus)citronella(Cymbopogonnardus)culms(stems)

lemonmyrtle(Backhousiacitriodora)lemonverbena(Aloysiatriphylla/Aloysiacitriodora)licorice(Glycyrrhizaglabra)licoriceplant(Helichrysumpetiolare)

M

manuka(Leptospermumscoparium)masalachai(spicedteafromSoutheastAsia)matcha(greentea)mintblackpepper-(Menthaxpiperita)garden(Menthasativa)ginger(Menthaxgracilis“Variegata”)lavender(Mentha“Lavender”)spear-(Menthaspicata)

strawberry(Mentha“Strawberry”)molihuacha(jasminetea;Chinese)Monardapunctata

mountainpepper(Drimyslanceolata/Tasmannialanceolata/Drimysaromatica)Drimyswinteri(canelo)

mulchMyrtaceae(myrtlefamily)myrtle(Myrtuscommunis)“Microphylla,”“Variegata,”

N

NewJerseytea(Ceanothusamericanus)(redroot/mountainsnowbell/Indiantea)Oofficinalis,epithetofOleaceae(olivefamily)oolongtea

P

perennials,lifecycleofpestspH,soilpineapplesage(Salviaelegans“ScarletPineapple”)Rraspberry(Rubusidaeus)redbeebalm(Monardadidyma)referencechart,plantrose(Rosa)“Ballerina,”“Felicia,”“FragrantCloud,”“Prosperity,”“Renaissance,”“Scent-sation,”rosehip(Rosarugosa)“Alba,”“Rubra,”rosemary(Rosmarinusofficinalis)(“MissJessopp’sUpright”),Ssafflower(Carthamustinctorius)saffron(Crocussativus)sage,blackcurrant(Salviamicrophyllavar.microphylla)sage,common(Salviaofficinalis)sage,pineapple(Salviaelegans“ScarletPineapple”)sage,tangerine(Salviaelegans“TangerineSage”)scentedpelargonium/scentedgeranium(Pelargonium)“AttarofRoses,”lemon-“MabelGrey,”orange-

“PrinceofOrange,”“Tomentosum,”

shrubs,lifecycleofsoilsowing,guidetospearmint(Menthaspicata)staranise(Illiciumverum)stevia(Steviarebaudiana)strawberry(Fragaria)wild(Fragariavesca)

strawberrymint(Mentha“Strawberry”)sunteasweetteavine/jiaogulan(Gynostemmapentaphyllum)

T

Tagetes(genus)tangerinesage(Salviaelegans“TangerineSage”)teabagsthymelemoncurd(Thymusserpyllum)orange(Thymuscitriodorus“Fragrantissimus”)variegatedlemon(Thymusxcitriodorus“Variegatus”)tisane

transplantingtipsforestablishedplantsforseedlings

tulsi/holybasil(Ocimumtenuiflorum/Ocimumsanctum)

U

Umbelliferae(family)

V

Verbenaceae(family)Violaceae(violetfamily)violet(Violaodorata)ParmavioletViolatricolor(wildpansy)“Heartsease,”

vitaminB220

W

whiteteaSilverNeedlesYinZhen

wildbergamot(Monardafistulosa)Winteraceae(family)Winter’sbark(Drimyswinteri).Seealsomountainpepperwu-long/wulongtea(oolong).SeealsooolongteaY

yellowteaYixingteapot

Z

Zingiberaceae(gingerfamily)

RecommendedSourcesPleasenotethatsomeoftheselinksmaynolongerbeactive.

PlantandSeedSuppliers

UNITEDSTATES

TopTropicalsJasminumsambacandCamelliasinensistoptropicals.com(866)897-7957

CamelliaForestNurseryCamelliasinensiswww.camforest.com(919)968-0504

MountainGardensSweetteavine(Gynostemmapentaphyllum)mountaingardensherbs.com(828)675-5664

GrowOrganicSeeds,fertilizers,andgardensupplieswww.groworganic.com(888)784-1722

HorizonHerbswww.horizonherbs.com(541)846-6233

Burpeewww.burpee.com(800)888-1447

R.H.Shumway’swww.rhshumway.com(800)342-9461

RichtersSeedsandstarterplantswww.richters.com(905)640-6677

U.K.ANDEUROPE

Plants4PresentsCamelliasinensisplants4presents.co.uk+4408452268026

BritishSaffronwww.britishsaffron.co.uk+4401978761558

BeeHappyPlantswww.beehappyplants.co.uk+4401460221929

HerbalHavenwww.herbalhaven.com+4401799540695

CockersRoseswww.roses.uk.com+4401224313261

PennardPlantswww.pennardplants.com+4401749860039

GrovesNurserywww.grovesnurseries.co.uk+4401308422654

GardenSupplies

UNITEDSTATES

CoastofMaineOrganiccomposts,mulches,andfertilizerswww.coastofmaine.com(800)345-9315

GrowOrganicSeeds,fertilizers,andgardensupplieswww.groworganic.com(888)784-1722

U.K.ANDEUROPE

BodAyreProductsOrganicseaweedfertilizerswww.seaweedproducts.co.uk+4401806577328

WigglyWigglersCompostingandwormerysupplierswww.wigglywigglers.co.uk+4401981500391

GardenOrganicwww.gardenorganic.org.uk+4402476303517

EmptyTeaBagSuppliers

Burgon&Ballwww.burgonandball.com/shop(searchfor“teabags”)+4401142338262

NaturalTeaBagswww.naturalteabags.com(305)898-5313

TeaExperiences/PlacestoVisit

GlenburnTeaEstate&BoutiqueHotelDarjeeling,Indiawww.glenburnteaestate.com

+919830070213

TregothnanCornwall,Englandtregothnan.co.uk+4401872520000

CharlestonTeaPlantationCharleston,SouthCarolinacharlestonteaplantation.com(843)559-3791

EdenProjectCornwall,Englandwww.edenproject.com+4401726811911

RecommendedReading

Gascoyne, Kevin, Marchand, François, and Desharnais, Jasmin. Tea:History,Terroirs,Varieties.RichmondHill,Ontario:FireflyBooks,2011.

Kabuzo, Okakura.The Book of Tea. Eastford, CT: Martino Fine Books,2012.

McVicar,Jekka.Jekka’sCompleteHerbBook.London:KyleCathie,2009.

Moxham,Roy.ABriefHistoryofTea.Philadelphia:RunningPress,2009.

AcknowledgmentsI am fortunate to have met some wonderful, generous people whileresearching this book, and I would like to thank them for their help:Emily fromPlants4Presents,Lorraine fromHerbalHaven,Sarah fromBeeHappyPlants,LeannefromCockerRoses,JoeHollisfromMountainGardens, and Caroline Riden and Clive Groves from British Saffron. IwouldalsoliketothankBurgon&Ballfortheirsupport.MyveryspecialthanksgotoHusnaTaraPrakashandSanjaySharmafromGlenburnTeaEstateinDarjeeling,India,foralloftheirexpertadviceonteaprocessingandgrowing.I would like to give a special thank-you to Daniela Rapp, Ivy

McFadden, Bethany Reis, Lauren Jablonski, and Eric C. Meyer at St.Martin’sPressandtomyagent,IsabelAthertonfromCreativeAuthors.Iwould like to thank LevinHaegele, Rose FinnKelcey, FrankWilliams,Keris Salmon,MischaHaller,George andThomasLiversidge,TomandJoHoward,BeckyandCharlieWillis,JillFeuerstein,JanePearl,andallmyfriendsfortheirsupportwhileIwaswritingthisbook.Finally,thankyou to Peter, for sampling somany cups of tea and for givingme theconfidencetowrite!

ALSOBYCASSIELIVERSIDGE

PastaSauce!GrowYourOwnIngredients

Theauthorhas researchedeachplantused in thisbookbut isnot responsible foranyadverseeffectsanyoftheplantsmayhaveonanindividual.Oneplantmaybegoodforonepersonbuthaveanegativeeffectonanother.Alltheplantsareconsumedentirelyatyourownrisk.Neveruseaplantasanalternativetoseekingprofessionalmedicaladviceandalwaysconsumeteainmoderation.

HOMEGROWNTEA.Copyright©2014byCassieLiversidge.Allrightsreserved.Forinformation,addressSt.Martin’sPress,175FifthAvenue,NewYork,N.Y.10010.

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FirstEdition:March2014eISBN9781250039422