Top 15 'Steep-and-Sip' Beverage Herbs to try at home for Crafting Garden-Fresh Teas and Cocktails - Goh Ling Yong
There's a special kind of magic in stepping out your door, snipping a few fragrant leaves, and turning them into a delicious, soul-soothing drink minutes later. It’s a simple act that connects us to the earth, awakens our senses, and elevates the everyday moment of having a cup of tea or a cocktail into a craft experience. This is the heart of the 'steep-and-sip' philosophy: cultivating a garden, no matter how small, specifically for the purpose of creating incredible beverages.
Forget dusty tea bags and artificially flavored syrups. A beverage garden puts a world of fresh, vibrant, and complex flavors right at your fingertips. Whether you have acres of land or a sunny windowsill, you can grow a curated selection of herbs that will transform your kitchen into a botanical alchemy lab. Here at the Goh Ling Yong blog, we believe that the best ingredients are often the ones you grow yourself, filled with care, sunshine, and personal pride.
So, grab your gardening gloves and your favorite mug. We’re about to explore 15 of the absolute best herbs to plant for crafting everything from calming bedtime tisanes to show-stopping garden-to-glass cocktails. Let's dig in!
1. Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
The undisputed king of the beverage garden, peppermint is vigorous, easy to grow, and impossibly refreshing. Its bright, pungent, and cooling menthol flavor is instantly recognizable and incredibly versatile. A word of caution: mints are notorious spreaders. It's best to plant them in a container to prevent a friendly garden takeover.
For a perfect cup of fresh mint tea, simply take a generous sprig, bruise the leaves slightly with your fingers to release their essential oils, and steep in hot water for 5-7 minutes. In the cocktail world, peppermint is the star of the classic Mojito. Muddle a few leaves with lime juice and sugar, add white rum, and top with soda water for an invigorating classic.
Pro-Tip: Harvest your mint in the morning just after the dew has dried but before the sun gets too hot. This is when the concentration of flavorful oils in the leaves is at its peak.
2. Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora)
If you could bottle the scent of a sunny lemon grove, it would be Lemon Verbena. Unlike other "lemon-scented" herbs that can have a soapy or citronella-like note, Lemon Verbena is pure, intense, sherbet-lemon bliss. It grows as a woody shrub and its slender, pointed leaves are packed with a powerful citrus aroma that is released with the slightest touch.
This herb makes an exceptionally refined and uplifting hot or iced tea, tasting exactly as it smells. It also creates a spectacular simple syrup. Just simmer equal parts sugar and water with a large handful of fresh leaves for 15 minutes, then strain. This golden syrup is a game-changer for gin fizzes, vodka sodas, or even just drizzled over fresh fruit or yogurt.
Pro-Tip: Lemon Verbena dries beautifully, retaining its potent flavor and aroma for months. Tie bundles of stems together and hang them in a cool, dark, and airy place.
3. German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Known for its gentle, calming properties, chamomile is a must-have for any tea lover. The small, daisy-like flowers have a delicate, apple-like aroma and a honeyed sweetness that makes for the perfect bedtime brew. Growing it yourself is a delight, as the feathery foliage and cheerful blossoms add a whimsical touch to the garden.
Harvesting is simple: just pinch off the flower heads on a dry, sunny day when they are fully open. You can use them fresh, but they are most commonly dried for later use. To make a soothing tea, steep a tablespoon of fresh or dried flowers in hot water for 5-10 minutes. A touch of honey and a slice of fresh apple enhance its flavor wonderfully.
Pro-Tip: German Chamomile is an annual that readily self-seeds, so if you let a few flowers go to seed at the end of the season, you'll likely have a new patch of volunteers next year.
4. English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender brings a touch of floral elegance and sophistication to both teas and cocktails. Its sweet, herbaceous, and slightly perfumed flavor can be potent, so a little goes a long way. English Lavender varieties are typically preferred for culinary use as they have a sweeter, less medicinal flavor than their French or Spanish counterparts.
Create a stunning lavender simple syrup to add a floral note to lemonades, gin and tonics, or sparkling wine for a DIY Lavender French 75. A few fresh or dried buds can also be steeped with black tea (like Earl Grey) to create a fragrant "London Fog" latte. Its calming scent also makes it a lovely addition to an evening tea blend with chamomile.
Pro-Tip: When making syrups or infusions, be careful not to over-steep lavender, as it can become bitter. A short infusion of 10-15 minutes is usually plenty.
5. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
This hardy, evergreen herb isn't just for roasts! Rosemary's piney, woody, and slightly peppery notes add incredible depth and complexity to beverages, particularly cocktails. Its robust flavor stands up well to bold spirits like gin and bourbon and pairs beautifully with citrus, cranberry, and apple.
Try making a rosemary-infused simple syrup for a "Rosemary Gimlet" (gin, lime juice, rosemary syrup). For a truly memorable G&T, gently smoke a fresh sprig of rosemary with a lighter or kitchen torch for a few seconds to release its aromatic oils, then use it as a stirrer. The aroma is intoxicating.
Pro-Tip: Muddle rosemary gently. Over-muddling can release bitter tannins from the stem. Just a light press is all you need to release its essence.
6. Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus)
While standard thyme is wonderful, Lemon Thyme is a superstar in the beverage garden. It possesses the familiar earthy, savory notes of regular thyme but with a bright, zesty lemon twist. This low-growing, spreading herb is fantastic as a groundcover or spilling out of a pot, and its tiny leaves are packed with flavor.
Lemon Thyme makes a surprisingly refreshing and savory iced tea, perfect for a hot afternoon. In cocktails, it shines alongside gin, vodka, and even tequila. Muddle a few sprigs with fresh blackberries and lemon juice before adding your spirit of choice for a complex and delicious smash.
Pro-Tip: The flavor of thyme pairs exceptionally well with honey. Create a lemon thyme-infused honey to sweeten teas or drizzle into a classic Bee's Knees cocktail for a herbal twist.
7. Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil's sweet, peppery, and slightly anise-like flavor is a revelation in drinks. While we often associate it with pesto and pasta, its bright, summery profile is perfect for refreshing cocktails and mocktails. Thai Basil, with its more pronounced licorice notes, is another excellent option.
The most famous basil cocktail is the Gin Basil Smash, a modern classic for a reason. Vigorously shake gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and a generous handful of fresh basil leaves with ice, then double-strain into a glass. It's herbaceous, vibrant, and utterly delicious. Basil also pairs wonderfully with strawberry, watermelon, and lime.
Pro-Tip: When using basil, "smack" the leaves between your palms before adding them to the shaker. This bruises them just enough to release their aromatic oils without creating bitterness.
8. Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sage offers a soft, earthy, and savory flavor profile with hints of pepper and mint. It's a fantastic herb for creating more complex, autumnal drinks. Its velvety, grey-green leaves add a beautiful textural element to the garden.
Sage has a particular affinity for fruit flavors like pineapple, blackberry, and pear. Try muddling a few fresh sage leaves with pineapple chunks and lime juice before adding aged rum or bourbon for a sophisticated, tropical-ish drink. A sage-infused honey or simple syrup is another excellent way to incorporate its unique flavor.
Pro-Tip: Fried sage leaves make a stunning and delicious cocktail garnish. Briefly fry them in a little hot oil until crisp, then sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt.
9. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
A member of the mint family, Lemon Balm is a gentler, softer alternative to Lemon Verbena. Its crinkly, heart-shaped leaves have a lovely, subtle lemon scent with hints of mint. Like its minty cousins, it is a vigorous grower and is best contained in a pot.
Lemon Balm makes a wonderfully light and relaxing hot tea, often used to soothe nerves and aid digestion. It's also fantastic muddled into a Tom Collins or simply added to a pitcher of iced water with some cucumber slices for a simple, spa-like refreshment. Because its flavor is more delicate, use it generously.
Pro-Tip: Lemon Balm loses much of its flavor when dried, so it is best used fresh from the garden. Harvest often to encourage bushy, tender new growth.
10. Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
While we use the fleshy calyces (the part that protects the bud) rather than the leaves, hibiscus is an essential plant for any beverage enthusiast. The dried calyces produce a stunningly beautiful, deep ruby-red infusion that is tart, tangy, and cranberry-like in flavor. It's the star ingredient in many popular herbal tea blends and drinks like Agua de Jamaica.
Brew a strong hibiscus tea, sweeten it to taste, and serve it over ice with a squeeze of lime for a classic cooler. It also makes a fantastic base for cocktails, pairing well with tequila, rum, and spiced spirits. You can also create a vibrant hibiscus syrup to add color and tartness to any drink.
Pro-Tip: Hibiscus is a tropical plant, so if you live in a colder climate, you can grow it as an annual in a large pot. It needs plenty of sun and heat to thrive.
11. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
Nature's own zero-calorie sweetener! The leaves of the stevia plant are intensely sweet and can be used to sweeten drinks without any sugar. This is a game-changer for anyone looking to reduce their sugar intake without sacrificing a touch of sweetness in their homemade teas.
Using it is incredibly simple. Just add one or two fresh leaves to your teapot along with your other herbs (like mint or lemon balm) while they steep. The sweetness will infuse directly into the water. You can also make a simple liquid extract by steeping a handful of leaves in hot water for 15-20 minutes, straining, and storing the sweet liquid in the fridge.
Pro-Tip: Stevia can have a slightly licorice-like aftertaste. Start with a small amount and adjust to your preference. A little goes a very long way!
12. Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans)
This herb is a showstopper and a guaranteed conversation starter in the garden. Crush one of its leaves, and you'll be met with the unmistakable, juicy aroma of fresh pineapple. It’s a tender perennial with brilliant, tubular red flowers in the late fall that are a magnet for hummingbirds.
Pineapple Sage is perfect for fruit-forward mocktails and cocktails. Muddle the leaves with fresh berries or citrus, or infuse them into white rum or vodka. The bright red flowers are also edible and make a stunning garnish. It can be used to make a light, fragrant tea, but its true calling is in cold, refreshing drinks.
Pro-Tip: The pineapple scent is most potent in the leaves before the plant flowers. Harvest leaves regularly throughout the summer for the best flavor.
13. Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Don't let the name fool you; this beautiful perennial is a member of the mint family, not related to anise. However, its leaves and stunning purple flower spikes have a delightful sweet, licorice-like flavor. It’s also a powerhouse pollinator plant, beloved by bees and butterflies.
Both the leaves and flowers can be used to make a wonderful tea, which is said to aid digestion. The flavor is sweet enough that it often doesn't require any additional sweetener. It also makes an interesting simple syrup that pairs well with rye whiskey or gin, adding a subtle, spicy sweetness. One of my personal favorites, which I know Goh Ling Yong also appreciates for its beauty and utility, is using the flower spikes as a garnish.
Pro-Tip: The flowers are just as flavorful as the leaves. Strip them from the stalk and sprinkle them into salads or float them on top of a finished cocktail for a beautiful and tasty final touch.
14. Borage (Borago officinalis)
Borage is an old-fashioned herb that deserves a major comeback. It's known for its fuzzy leaves and beautiful, star-shaped blue flowers that have a surprisingly crisp, cool flavor of fresh cucumber. It’s an easy-to-grow annual that self-seeds readily.
The flowers are the main event here. Freeze them into ice cubes to add a touch of elegance to any drink, or float them in a classic Pimm's Cup, gin and tonic, or glass of lemonade. The young leaves can also be muddled for their cucumber essence, but be sure to strain well to remove the fuzzy texture.
Pro-Tip: Borage flowers are delicate. Harvest them in the morning and use them the same day for the best color and flavor.
15. Shiso (Perilla frutescens)
A staple in Japanese and Korean cuisine, Shiso is a fantastic and adventurous addition to a beverage garden. Part of the mint family, its flavor is complex and hard to pin down—a mix of mint, basil, cinnamon, and citrus. The frilly-edged leaves come in both green and a stunning reddish-purple.
Shiso's unique flavor profile makes it an exciting ingredient for cocktails. It pairs wonderfully with gin, whiskey, and vodka. Try it in a Shiso Mojito for a spicier, more complex take on the classic. You can also make a shiso-infused simple syrup, which will take on a beautiful pink hue if you use the red variety.
Pro-Tip: Red shiso is traditionally used to make a vibrant, pink-colored Japanese juice. Simply boil the leaves with water, sugar, and a bit of citric acid (or lemon juice) to create a stunning and refreshing drink.
Your Garden-to-Glass Journey Begins
There you have it—a garden's worth of inspiration to elevate your home beverage game. The beauty of a 'steep-and-sip' garden is its scalability. You don't need a sprawling estate; a few well-chosen pots on a balcony can provide you with a season's worth of fresh, aromatic ingredients.
Start with one or two herbs that intrigue you the most. Experience the simple joy of nurturing them from seed or seedling and the ultimate satisfaction of tasting the fruits (or leaves!) of your labor. Your morning tea and evening cocktail will never be the same again.
What are your favorite herbs to use in drinks? Do you have a go-to garden-fresh tea or cocktail recipe? Share your thoughts and creations in the comments below—we’d love to learn from our community of fellow gardeners and creators
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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