There's nothing quite like picking beautifully fresh ingredients like Chamomile Flowers and Lemon Balm from the garden at the exact time you want to use them. Zero waste tea...and totally delicious! With minimal effort, you can do this too.
Planting herb seeds can take a long time and requires a certain degree of patience. I've struggled for a while to try and get a herb garden to flourish, so I took the easy way out and bought seedling plants of both of these, which are thriving in my garden so far. I used potting soil, a light layer of mulch and water them daily as its summer here in Adelaide.
Using fresh ingredients gives a wonderful flavour and allows you to reap the best benefits of these plants. Both Chamomile and Lemon balm are calming and known to help relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety as well as aid a good night's sleep.
I am completely in love with lemon balm, a fresh minty lemony aroma without the acidity of citrus. It's so tempting to pick a leaf and crush it in my palm for that burst of smell every time I walk past!
How to make fresh Chamomile and Lemon Balm Tea
Take 1-2 leaves of Lemon Balm
Collect 6-8 Chamomile flowers
Add hot water and steep for 3-5 minutes
You can strain, or just drink it as I do with the leaves and flowers left in.
Add honey if you're after a sweeter option, but I think it tastes great as it is.
Once your finished drinking this gorgeous tea, tip the leaves straight back into the garden.
What is your favourite tea? Is it something you can grow and pick straight from the garden?.....or maybe you already do this and have a favourite combination (I'd love to hear about it so I can give it a go too!)