Vegetable Garden

“It’s Time for Tea” ~ Grow Your Own Lavender Tea

October 8, 2012

Herbal teas, also known as infusions or tisanes have been around for centuries and used to treat minor medical ailments. Many of you may already be familiar with chamomile or mint teas, readily available at most supermarkets.

Lavender Tea

An herbal tea that’s perhaps not so common is lavender. If this pretty perennial plant isn’t growing in your garden or containers already, all garden centres should carry stock and it’s very easy to propagate from semi-ripe cuttings or to sow from seed.

To Grow Lavender From Seed

Sow the seeds in February into individual modules using soil that will resemble the plants final growing place. Sow them 2.5 cm deep, cover with compost and keep moist as the seedlings grow using a spray bottle containing tap water. It’s essential to keep the seedlings in a warm, bright area until they’re established. In May plant the seedlings into well-drained soil or large containers in full sun.

"It's Time for Tea" ~ Grow Your Own Lavender Tea

To Make Lavender Tea or Tisane

Just add a teaspoon of dried lavender blossoms to hot water and allow to infuse for five or ten minutes then strain the liquid into a tea-cup.

Lavender tea is said to be good for insomnia, helps to calm if you’re anxious, is good for headaches, and apparently acts as a great mouthwash for halitosis!

Does it work?

I’ve been drinking this tea today and certainly feel calmer than I did this morning so would definitely recommend trying it if you’re feeling at all stressed.

That said, herbal remedies can cause allergies and if in doubt you should always  check any medical symptoms with your GP.

If you’d like to find out more about this wonderfully scented plant, Naomi over at Dr How’s Science Wows wrote a lovely blog post which includes recipes for bath bombs and oil.

7 Comments

  • Reply Susan (@VibrantIreland) October 9, 2012 at 6:35 am

    Drinking a cup in a lavender bath sounds perfect!

    • Reply greensideupveg October 9, 2012 at 6:50 am

      Yes! perfect for unwinding. I’ve seen recipes for lavender cakes and drinks before Susan but have steered clear as thought they might taste like the lavender sweets I used to eat when I was younger. However this tea has such a delicate flavour, you can almost feel the calming effect as you sip it. No wonder bees like it, will be looking at them differently as they leave my lavender bushes now 😉

  • Reply Brian (@_secretgarden_) October 9, 2012 at 9:40 am

    Stunning images. Definitely a fan of all things lavender, so may just have to give this a go. We had lavender biscuits in the Tea Room, and they were divine and definitely did not taste like sweets.

    • Reply greensideupveg October 9, 2012 at 3:01 pm

      Thanks Brian, phone cameras are magical things! If you like lavender biscuits am sure you’ll like the tea. Wonder if the biscuits have the same therapeutic effect 😉

  • Reply Niamh Maher October 13, 2012 at 7:08 pm

    Hey Dee, hope your well and the very best of luck tonight. Tried the tea today, brilliant loved it. Niamh http://www.smallchanges.ie

    • Reply greensideupveg October 15, 2012 at 10:14 pm

      Niamh, thanks so much for your message – I only just saw it! Glad you liked the tea, delish isn’t it!

  • Reply All things Lavender | Dr. How's Science Wows July 3, 2014 at 9:23 am

    […] is a great blog about Lavender Tea and how to grow lavender from seeds over at Greenside Up.  They also sell a beautiful “Time […]

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