About Tea Gardens
There’s a ritual in a tea garden that you don’t find anywhere else. You step outside in the morning, pinch a few chamomile flowers, feel the lavender between your fingers, and inhale. By the time the kettle boils, something has already shifted.
A tea garden centers plants with restorative and sensory properties: herbs and flowers that comfort, energize, or soothe, depending on what you need that day. The good news for Front Range gardeners? Many of the best tea herbs are naturally well-suited to Colorado’s sunny, semi-arid climate, drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, and happy in our intense high-altitude sun.
A tea garden works in a raised bed, in containers on a porch, or in a small corner of a larger garden. It’s also an invitation for friends to gather around, for a tea circle, for the kind of slow afternoon that’s becoming a lost art.
Here’s how to grow one.
What to Grow in a Colorado Tea Garden
A note before you plant: several of the best tea herbs are enthusiastic spreaders — especially in Colorado’s long growing season. We’ve flagged those below. Either give them a dedicated corner of the bed or use containers to keep them in check.
We also recommend designing your tea garden near a beloved sitting area so that harvesting, smelling, and tea-making become one unhurried daily ritual.
Annuals (replant each season)
German Chamomile: Full sun | Water every 2 weeks once established
It’s a gentle, reliable bloomer with anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, it’s great for succession planting; simply stagger plantings by 2–3 weeks for a continuous harvest. Harvest the flowers just as they open fully for peak potency.
Tulsi Basil: Full sun | Water regularly
Tulsi is an adaptogen and antioxidant, supporting a healthy response to stress, fatigue, and inflammation. It’s great for succession planting. Harvest leaves before the plant flowers for the best flavor.
Lemongrass: Full sun | Water regularly | Well-draining soil
Adds a citrusy, ginger-forward note and is known as a stress-reliever and digestion aid. We recommend you plant it in the back row, as it tends to grow tall. Snip leaves from the base of the outside of the clump to dry for tea, being careful as the leaves are sharp and can cause unexpected cuts.
- NOTE: It’s not reliably perennial in Denver’s climate; it will die back in a hard frost and needs to come indoors over winter to survive. If you’re committed to overwintering it, plant it in a container from the start so the transition is easier. Otherwise, treat it as an annual and enjoy it for the season.
Perennials (return each year)
These plants come back reliably in Denver’s climate and are a great investment for your garden long-term.
Lavender: Full sun | Low water | Well-drained soil. Antimicrobial and full of antioxidants
A little goes a long way in tea, and adds a beautiful, floral sweetness to your beverage. For Denver’s climate, look for Phenomenal or Hidcote varieties — English lavender overwinters far more reliably here than French or Spanish types. Harvest just before the buds fully open for the best flavor and fragrance.
Spreaders (grow these in containers)
Lemon balm: Part shade | Water weekly | Well-drained soil
These plants bring a fresh, citrusy lift to your drinks and have mild calming properties, which make them great for non-alcoholic options. Harvest leaves before flowering for the best flavor.
Peppermint: Full sun | Water weekly
Mint is energizing and soothing, working well on its own or blended with florals. Harvest before the plant flowers — once mint bolts, the flavor turns bitter.
Bee balm: Full sun | Moderate water | Soothing for colds and respiratory complaints
It’s a wonderful companion plant alongside tomatoes and produces beautiful blooms that pollinators love. Harvest just as the flowers begin to fully open — this is when flavor and aroma are strongest. Note that it spreads readily — give it space or a container of its own.
recipes
Tea LC
This delicious tea blend was made by our students at the Tennyson Center for Children for their annual fundraiser. We’ve used it many times and love it!
If you enjoyed it too, consider donating to Tennyson Center for Children here!
Ingredients:
- 2 parts tulsi
- 1 part lemongrass
- 1 part lemonbalm
- 1 part lavender
To brew fresh:
- Pick a small handful of each herb. Gently bruise the leaves between your fingers to release the oils.
- Steep in hot water (just below boiling) for 5–7 minutes. Strain and enjoy.
To make a winter blend:
- Dry each herb separately by hanging small bunches in a warm, dark space for 1–2 weeks.
- Once fully dry, mix in the ratios above. Store in a sealed jar away from light.
- Use 1–2 teaspoons per cup, steeped 5 minutes.
Lavender-Mint Lemonade Concentrate
Turn your tea garden into a summer staple. This concentrate keeps in the fridge for two weeks and makes a beautiful sparkling lemonade or herbal iced tea in seconds.
Makes about 1.5 cups of concentrate.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup fresh lavender buds
- 2 cups boiling water
- ½ cup honey
Directions:
- Steep mint and lavender in boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain.
- While still warm, stir in honey until fully dissolved.
- Cool and refrigerate. Keeps up to 2 weeks.
- To serve: mix 2 tablespoons concentrate with still or sparkling water and a squeeze of fresh lemon over ice.
Join DUG’s Upcoming Workshop
Want to learn to make your own fresh tea blends? Join DUG’s in-person and interactive workshop, Fresh Teas and Meditation, on August 8, 2026. Registration is required!
If you enjoy sipping tea and connecting with the earth and others, this workshop offers a meaningful way to explore the benefits of herbal teas while building community. Herbal teas are not only soothing and flavorful but also rich in health benefits and simple to create. Join us in a DUG community garden to discover which herbs make the best teas and how to grow them at home. Together, we’ll enjoy a guided meditation, then prepare a fresh batch of tea to enjoy while fostering conversation and connection in a serene garden setting.
📆 Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 9:00-11:00am
📍 Posner Center for International Development
🔗 https://dug.org/event/2026-august-fresh-teas-and-meditation/
