Appalachian Tea Garden Guild

Create a woodland-edge style garden under dappled shade of existing trees. Plant shade-tolerant natives like spicebush and wild bergamot in clusters, with New Jersey Tea as a focal point. Add mint family plants where they'll receive morning sun.

Space woody shrubs (elderberry, spicebush) 4-5 feet apart. Plant herbaceous perennials in groups of 3-5 plants with 12-15 inches between plants. Keep mints contained in buried pots or isolated areas to prevent spreading.

Begin with the woody plants and New Jersey Tea. Add perennial herbs in the first season. Expect harvests from herbaceous plants in year one, and from shrubs by years 2-3.

Apply leaf mulch annually in fall. Water during establishment and drought periods. Harvest by taking no more than 1/3 of any plant at one time. Cut back mints aggressively after flowering to encourage fresh growth.

A mature 100 sq ft tea garden can provide 2-3 lbs of dried tea herbs annually, enough for approximately 200-300 cups of tea.

This woodland-edge style tea garden thrives in dappled shade and makes use of areas that might otherwise be unproductive. The native plants also provide excellent wildlife habitat.

Design a spiral or mandala garden in full sun with elderberry as a central focal point. Arrange other plants in concentric circles or spiraling paths, grouping them by water needs (driest at top/center, moistest at bottom/edges).

Plant elderberry in the center with at least 6 feet diameter space. Arrange other woody plants 3-4 feet apart. Group herbaceous plants by type in clusters of 5-7 plants with 10-12 inches between plants.

Install all woody plants at the beginning. Phase in herbaceous perennials as budget allows, focusing first on plants that establish and spread quickly like mint and lemon balm to fill the space and prevent weeds.

Top-dress with compost annually. Harvest regularly to encourage new growth. Divide spreading plants like mints every 2-3 years to maintain vigor. Prune elderberry annually in late winter for better fruit production.

A mature 150 sq ft full-sun tea garden can yield 4-6 lbs of dried tea herbs annually (300-500 cups of tea) plus 8-12 lbs of elderberries for syrup and wine making.

This productive tea garden combines beautifully with the Pollinator Support Guild and can serve as both a productive and ornamental landscape feature. The spiral design creates a range of microclimates that allows you to grow plants with varying needs in a small space.