Shade and Partial Sun Perennial Tea Herbs For Tea Gardens With Less Than 6 Hours of Sun

Few things can put a pleasant ending or relaxation to one’s day like sipping on a soothing cup of tea. These shade and partial sun perennial herbs are easy to grow in gardens where sunlight exposure is less than six hours daily.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an attractive evergreen ornamental woody shrub full of aromatic essential oils that thrives in sunny spots with good drainage and minimal summer irrigation needs. Care for this versatile species is easy, making them virtually pest-proof.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm’s lemony, sunny scent makes it an excellent addition to herbal teas and sachets, while its leaves may also be massaged onto skin to release its natural oils, or simply brewed into tea for an instant mood lift. Lemon balm grows well in pots or gardens alike – particularly near paths where people can brush against it to release its intoxicating fragrance!

As with its mint relatives, lemon balm can quickly spread in your garden, so be sure to control its spread with regular weeding and mulching. Lemon balm thrives best with partial sun exposure and regular watering – it can even be grown in containers! Additionally, its pollinator attraction brings honeybees and native bees which strengthen cross-pollination of other crops in your garden.

Lavender

Lavender (Lavandula) is an annual or biennial herb hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9, producing spikes of blue flowers with scent-infused stems and leaves, ideal for teas and desserts as well as medicinal use. The herb’s benefits can also extend beyond aesthetic considerations.

Thyme (Thymus) is an evergreen perennial herb, hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8. The plant produces small ribbonlike leaves and gray-green to greenish-white flowers which produce aromatherapy oils that can be added directly into food dishes such as soups and stews or even used as an infusion in tea blends. Thyme also acts as an excellent stress reliever and sleep aid.

Perennial plants tend to fare better in gardens during winter than annuals do, providing continuous flowering if they are cut regularly and kept moist. Perennial herbs make great choices for less sun areas; either from seed or purchased transplants they can be planted right into the soil.

Rosemary

Rosemary is one of the hardiest herb plants, flourishing both in garden beds and containers provided it receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Rosemary prefers moist well-draining soil with an ideal pH range from 6.0 to 7.0 for best growth conditions.

Rosemary can be left unpruned for an undisturbed natural look or pruned into various shapes such as topiaries. Late season pruning of Rosemary plants will result in reduced flower production.

Alternatively, for those living in cold climates who enjoy growing Rosemary indoors and wish to grow it in containers or pots, Creeping Rosemary makes an excellent selection for filling containers, while Santa Barbara Trailing Rosemary will cover walls. Sun-loving perennials that make beautiful tea herbs include sweet goldenrod and anise hyssop are both easy care perennials that add color and fragrance to a tea garden.

Ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an herbaceous perennial tropical shrub that thrives in warm environments with partial shade, its roots used frequently in teas and soups as a flavoring agent and medicinally. Ginger also boasts various important antioxidants.

The herb thrives with several hours of direct sunlight per day, but can also thrive under full or partial shade. Rock gardens provide ideal environments for its growth.

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is an herb commonly used in traditional herbal medicine. The leaves can be used in teas and salads; its appearance adds zest. Stinging nettle thrives best in areas with partial sun to full shade conditions, preferring well-draining soil rich with organic matter that drains easily; it even tolerates some frost conditions!