In the midst of this hottest summer, I take solace in making iced tea from the herbs in my garden every morning. This approach can be done using the sun tea method, putting herbs in a glass jar outside in the sun for part of the day, then refrigerating. I have also found it very efficient just to use my kettle, when making my morning tea. I pop out to the garden when feeding my chickens, grab a large fistful of herbs, and brew a large pot of tea in the red pot seen below. Then I let it sit and cool until about noon, and pour it into the glass pitcher with a lid (also pictured), refrigerate for several hours, and drink it in the afternoon and evening each day. It is an easy process for always having delicious herbal tea available to hydrate in the afternoon and evening, and there is enough to share.  

photos by Lorie Hammond

My garden favorites are pictured below. They can all be grown in a pot or in a garden bed, and tend to grow for years. I have had the same lemon verbena for at least 15 years. 

All of these plants are also low water users, although of course if in pots, they require more waterings. I grow two mints. Peppermint likes more water, But hierba buena (spearmint) grows almost anywhere.

Many, many plants can be used as herbal teas, but I find these to be easy to grow and consistently available in our climate. They are also tasty mixed together. As an extra touch, one can add a few lavender or nasturtium blooms or rose hips. I sometimes also add a peppermint tea bag to the pot, to add strength. It is fun to play with mixtures. 

For winter use, I dry both spearmint and lemon verbena in drying baskets in the shade, then jar them. This is particularly important for lemon verbena, which goes dormant in winter, but when brewed, brings a rich aroma to a winter day. The dried teas last all winter, and make great holiday presents.