Creating your own special blend of tea is an exciting and satisfying way to produce a customised tea of your own taste. Our range of blending components allows you to blend your own tea with ease.
Botanical name - Agrimonia eupatoria
Country of Origin - Poland
Common names: Common Agrimony, Cockleburr, Cocklebur, Church Steeples, Sticklewort, Philanthropos, Ackerkraut, Agrimonia, Herbe de Saint-Guillaume, Liverwort, Stickwort, Acrimony, Harvest lice, Aigremoine, Odermennig, Herba agrimoniae, Burr Marigold, Garclive.
Agrimony yields a natural yellow dye. The later in the season the plant is collected, the darker the dye will be. Agrimony also contains a good deal of tannin and may be useful in dressing leather.
Abbey Botanicals Agrimony tea is a refreshing fragrant tea with a taste reminiscent of apricots that is good whether drank hot or cold. Steep 1 teaspoon of dried leaves in one cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Add honey to taste.
Botanical name - Rubus fruticosus
Blackberry leaves are high in tannins and Vit.C and makes a delicious and refreshing tea either on it's own or as a mixer with other other herbs and a little honey or fruit to add flavour and sweeten.
To make Blackberry Leaf tea pour the boiling water over the leaves and allow to infuse for 3-5 minutes.
Botanical name - Ribes nigrum
Blackcurrant leave are high in tannins and often drank as a refreshing tea, as a replacement for regular tea, as they contain no caffiene.
Botanical name - Borago officinalis
Borage is a fantastic, versatile herb that deserves to be used more in the kitchen. The leaves can be used in stocks, soups and stews and used in place of spinach. You could try making borage ravioli or borage curry, or a borage and ricotta pizza.
Borage leaves can be brewed to make a tea which has a truly refreshing taste with a hint of cucumber. Later the brewed leaves can be added to your ice cube tray with a little water and frozen into ice cubes to add to your summer drinks, traditionally used this way with Pimms.
To make Borage tea pour the boiling water over the leaves and allow to infuse for 3-4 minutes. Taste first before considering adding sweetening.
Botanical name - Calendula officinalis
Country of Origin - Egypt
Creating your own special blend of tea is an exciting and satisfying way to produce a customised tea of your own taste. Our range of blending components allows you to blend your own tea. Calendula petals are neutral flavoured and can be used to decorate any tea blend. Also great in salads
Dried Calenduala Petals are lovely for adding to home made cosmetics, soap, bath salts and potpourri.
Here is a basic recipe to make your own infused Calendula oil:
Fill a jar with Calendula petals
- cover them with your chosen vegetable oil, Organic Sunflower oil is a popular choice
- Seal the jar tightly and leave it in the sun (a sunny window sill will be fine) for 2-3 weeks.
- Strain the petals out and bottle the oil.
Botanical name - Ceratonia siliqua
Country of Origin - Spain
Common names: St-john's bread, John's bread, locust beans
Carob powder is a natural, nutritious substitute for cocoa or chocolate. Carob looks and tastes somewhat like cocoa, yet contains higher amounts of natural sugar, much less fat, several minerals, and no caffeine and is used extensively in cake and cookies.
Botanical name - Nepeta cataria
Country of Origin - USA
A catnip plant just by its name may not be readily recognizable by many, but those who own cats know that it is the plant that their cats love. Botanically the catnip is a herbaceous plant and member of the mint family.
The best way to consume catnip is by drinking catnip tea. Catnip tea with helps relax the mind and induces good sleep at night. Pregnant women should best avoid drinking catnip tea because it promotes urine contraction.
To create this amazing brew, take one teaspoon of dried catnip. Boil the water and remove it from the heat. Allow the water to cool down before you add catnip. If you add catnip when the water is hot it will lose its natural flavour and certain positive benefits.
The duration to steep catnip tea will depend on the taste and the requirement of the person. If you want to get the most out of the catnip, then it best to steep the catnip as long as possible. However, if you are just looking for flavour then the duration to steep your catnip tea should be short. The maximum steeping time should not exceed 18 minutes.
To change the taste of catnip tea you can add herbs like mint or lemon grass. You can also add other natural products like honey, lemon juice, strawberry and sugar. The quantity of herb or natural products that has to be added to catnip tea will depend on the taste of the person.
Botanical name - Matricaria recutita
Chamomile tea has been used as a delicious tea for centuries so it's no wonder that it is estimated that over 1 million cups are ingested every day. The properties of this tea are wide and many, but perhaps the best known is it's ability to help you relax. Many people like to drink it before bedtime as a sleep inducer.
It’s long been known that the best chamomile tea comes from Egypt and are brewed using the whole flowers. Chamomile's delicious orange/apple flavour makes it easy to enjoy as an herbal tea, just add two teaspoons of dried flowers per cup of hot water and let steep for 3 minutes. Add honey to sweeten if desired.
Chamomile flowers are used in Skin and Hair Care products such as Creams, Baths, Compresses and Shampoos for its cleansing and soothing benefits. Good for treating sensitive and irritated skin and scalp irritations.
Botanical name - Chamaemelum nobile
Country of Origin - France
Botanical name - Tussilago farfara
Common names: Coughwort, Hallfoot, Horsehoof, Fieldhove, Donnhove, Pas d'âne, Filius ante patrem, Tun Hoof, Ass's foot, Bull's foot, Butterbur, Farfara, Foal's foot, Horse Foot, Winter heliotrope, Clayweed, Cleats, Farfara, Fieldhove, Foalswort, Hallfoot, Huki-Tanpopo, K'Uan Tung, Oksurukotu, Son-before-father, To Wu, Tusilago, British tobacco
Coltsfoot has a taste similar to that of liquorice and is used as an ingredient in teas, wine, sweets & confectionary, in herbal tobacco and a delicious syrup can be made from the leaves.
To make a tea, steep 1 teaspoon of dried Coltsfoot Leaf in 1 cup of boiling water for 30 minutes.
Botanical name - Symphytum officinale
Country of Origin - Hungary
Botanica name - Ternera diffusa
Country of Origin - Mexico
Traditionally Damiana is used in Mexico to flavour liqueurs, food, beverages and more importantly as a refreshing tea. It's taste is a little bitter although is pleasant, similar to that of Chamomile. It doesn't contain caffeine so can be enjoyed throughout the day.
To make a tea using our wild harvested Damiana leaf steep one teaspoon of dried Damiana leaf per cup of hot but not boiling water for 3-5 minutes.
Botanical name - Taraxacum officinalis
Botanical name - Sambucus nigra
Country of Origin - Czech Republic
Botanical name - Zingiber officinalis
Country of Origin - Nigeria
Country of Origin - China
Botanical name - Panax ginseng
Country of Origin - Korea
Botanical name - Camellia sinensis
Wild Harvested Sencha is a very invigorating green tea with a natural sweetness and a fresh fragrance. The leaf is steamed, then hot-air dried, before finally being lightly roasted.
Botanical name - Hibiscus sabdariffa
Botanical name - Humulus lupulus L
Country of Origin - United Kingdom/Germany
Hops are used extensively in brewing today for their many purported benefits, including balancing the sweetness of the malt with bitterness, contributing a variety of desirable flavours and aromas, and having an antibiotic effect that favours the activity of brewer's yeast over less desirable microorganisms.
hops are also an ingredient in Julmust, a carbonated beverage similar to soda that is popular in Sweden during December.
Hops, when used in conjunction with Lavender Flowers are popular, as a stuffing when making pillows to help when having difficulty in sleeping.
Botanical name - Marrubium vulgare
Botanical name - Hyssopus officinalis
Botanical name - Jasminum officinale
Botanical name - Juniperus communis
Country of Origin - Croatia
The spicy, aromatic, dark berries of the juniper tree can be used fresh or dried, crushed or whole, to flavour casseroles, marinades and stuffings and complement pork, rabbit, venison, beef and duck. They can also be used in sweet dishes such as fruitcake. Juniper berries also provide the main flavouring for gin.
Juniper Berries have a bitter-sweet taste and aroma which goes particularly well with stronger meats and game. Having said that, if used with discretion, it also compliments chicken, pork and certain fish such as Salmon.
Popular in some European cuisines, they are excellent when used in marinades, stuffings and pâtés and are also particularly good with cabbage. They are a traditional ingredient in German Sauerkraut.
Store them in an airtight container in a dry, cool place, away from direct sunlight and lightly crush just before using to release their flavour.
Botanical name - Cola nitida
Country of Origin - Africa
Botanicalname - Alchemilla vulgaris
Botanical name - Lavandula angustifolia
These French Lavender flowers are highly scented and are utilised in scented products. They come in colours ranging from light grey to pale blue and are frequently added to Pot pourri to combine colour with fragrance, in a scahet or bag and used as a drawer liner to keep you clothes smelling fresh and fragrant or with hops in a pillow to help you sleep.
Lavender Flowers are very light so even a small quantity goes a long way.
Botanical name - Melissa officinalis
Botanical name - Lippia citrodora
Country of Origin - Morocco
Botanical name - Tilia europea
Country of Origin - Turkey
Botanical name - Glycyrrhiza glabra
Botanical name - Althaea officinalis
Latin name - Mentha Sativa
Botanical name - Verbascum sinuatum
Common Names - Common mullein, Aaron’s rod, Adam’s flannel, feltwort, Jacob’s staff, old man’s flannel, blanket leaf, bullock’s lungwort, cow’s lungwort, hare’s beard, lady’s foxglove, ice leaf, Peter’s staff, shepherd’s club, candlewick, flannel leaf, flannel mullein, flannel plant, hedge taper, Indian tobacco, Jupiter’s staff, torch-wort, velvet dock.
Mullein leaves are rather pungent when used for culinary purposes, and it is recommended to include an aromatic spice such as cloves or Cinnamon in recipes where it is to be taken internally.
To make a tea, pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 teaspoon of Mullein Leaf, cover and steep 3-5 minutes. Be sure to strain the tea through a very fine strainer to avoid the irritating hairs from the leaves
It is recommended, as a precaution, not to inhale the herb directly when preparing this product for use, as the herb has tiny velvety hairs on the dried leaves that when displaced can cause irritation to the eyes, throat and mucus membranes if breathed in or allowed to float in the air.
Botanical name - Urticae dioica
Botanical name - Mentha piperita
Country of Origin - Poland/Bulgaria
Pure Mint is a wonderfully spirited and fresh tasting blend of wild harvested spearmint and peppermint. Traditionally served very sweet in small ornate glasses or try it with Green tea.
Ingredients: Spearmint and Peppermint
Preparation: Steep in freshly boiled water for 3 to 5 minutes. Sweeten to bring out all of the natural flavour. Serve hot or iced.
Botanical name - Rubus idaeus
Our suppliers harvest the leaves of the raspberry plant in summer before the berries ripen and flavonoid levels are high. The leaves are then dried and processed in a method similar to that of regular tea. Comparisons can also be drawn between the robust, full-bodied flavour of raspberry leaf tea, and that of traditional black tea. Brew a pot today and see why raspberry leaf makes an excellent caffeine free alternative to the morning cuppa!
Botanical name - Salvia miltiorrhiza
Country of Origin - Albania
Botanical name - Rosa chinensis
Country of Origin - India
Botanical name - Rosa canina
Country of Origin - Chile
Rose hips can be used to make jam, jelly, syrup, marmalade and wine. Homemade rose-hip syrup is delicious and well worth making. It is an excellent natural source of vitamin C. It also contains vitamins A, D and E, and antioxidants.
The hips are commonly used as a herbal tea, often blended with hibiscus. The hips can also be used to make jam, jelly, syrup, marmalade and wine.
Rose hip soup, “nyponsoppa,” is especially popular in Sweden. Rhodomel, a type of mead, is made with rose hips. The hips are used as a flavouring in the Slovenian soft drink Cockta.
Most recipes advise removing the irritating hairy seeds before processing the fruit. When cooking with rose hips. Do not use any metal pans or utensils other than stainless steel or risk discoloration of the fruit and loss of its precious vitamin C stores.
Rosehips are very high in vitamin C, and were cultivated in medieval times when other fruits were scarce. The dog rose flower was a symbol of medieval heraldry, and can be seen in carvings in its highly stylised form.
Rosehips make a delicious Apple jelly with a pretty pale pink colour and delicate flavour which is great with pork. They're also good for homemade wine. Rosehip syrup is a very traditional use of rosehips. It’s great for pouring over ice cream, or as a cocktail ingredient instead of grenadine.
Botanical name - Smilax ornata
Country of Origin - Jamaica
Botanical name - Hypericum perforatum
Oil infused with St John’s Wort is a wonderful natural remedy for any type of skin. It gently cleanses, tones and rejuvenates skin. Due to its strong anti-bacterial properties, St John’s Wort oil helps to prevent acne and blemishes.
St John’s Wort is more appropriate for winter skin care as it tends to cause photo sensitivity for the skin during hot summer months.
If you have oily skin, rinsing face with St John’s Wort infusion will balance complexion and tighten pores, due to high level of tannins in this herb. Applying ground St Johns Wort in the form of a mask for a period of 3 weeks, will clarify and brighten skin.
Botanical name - Valeriana officinalis
Valerian root is known in small quantities to be used in cooking to flavour stews and soups.
Cats absolutely adore the scent of Valerian Root, more so than Catnip in many cases. Stuff a toy mouse and they will become quite frisky. Horses also enjoy the smell of valerian and they will try to reach for it. Valerian has a calming effect on most animals. The cats become playful when they are given the chance to calm down.
Many people use Valerian Root to bait humane mouse traps as mice enjoy the smell of this plant too.
If you are having difficulty getting to sleep, try Valerian tea. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over one teaspoon powdered Valerian root. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten, if desired. Add a pinch of mace as flavouring if you so choose. Drink this tea warm.
Valerian is not a very pleasant smelling herb, but it is very effective. The Valerian root, may be added to other, better tasting herbs and will be just as effective. Simply add the herb of your choice to the water along with the Valerian root.
Botanical name - Salix alba
White Willow Bark face masks are commonly used to reduce redness, inflammation, and soothe acne. Natural masks can be created with the same goals in mind by using White Willow Bark extract The extract can also be used to create creams, lotions, soaps, tinctures, and body wraps as well.
To make an extract of White Willow Bark do the following:
1. Heat water in a cooking pot or tea kettle until it comes to a boil. Stir in 2 to 4 teaspoons of willow bark for every 500ml of water. White Willow bark steeps easily.
2. Allow the White Willow bark and water to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. This varies depending on the amount of extract being made. The more extract, the longer it should simmer.
3. Steep for about 30 minutes. Allow more steeping time for greater quantities and stronger extract.
Botanical name - Achillia millefolium
A Yarrow Infusion together with the pure Essential Oil of Yarrow can be added to Compresses, Skin Toners, Baths, Ointments, Gels and Creams or as a pot pourri ingredient.
Dried Yarrow flowers are used for their astringent and soothing effects in natural skin/hair care products for problem, wrinkly, oily & large-pored skin. Use Yarrow in Hair Care products for its strengthening, drying properties. Yarrow has a drying effect on the scalp, so only use in products for oily hair.
Regular use of a hair rinse made from Yarrow flowers will gently bleach the hair.
Try putting some Yarrow flowers in a bowl and adding boiling water to it -- then put your face over it and let the yarrow steam open your pores.
Yarrow Flowers can be brewed into a refreshing floral tea similar to Chamomile. Just add a teaspoon of flowers to a cup of boiling water and let it sit for 4-5 minutes before straining and drinking. Add a little honey or sugar to sweeten if desired.
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