Evening Garden Tea: A Simple Lemon Balm, Chamomile & Spearmint Blend

Some herbal teas don't need to be complicated.

Evening Garden Tea combines three familiar garden herbs—lemon balm, chamomile and spearmint—into a light, aromatic tea that's easy to blend at home and enjoyable as part of a quiet evening routine.

The recipe uses a simple 2:1:1 ratio, allowing lemon balm to provide the foundation while chamomile adds a mild floral character and spearmint brings a fresh finish.

What's in Evening Garden Tea?

Lemon Balm — Melissa officinalis

Lemon balm is an aromatic member of the mint family. Crush a fresh leaf between your fingers and its lemony fragrance quickly explains the name.

In this blend, dried lemon balm leaf makes up half of the recipe. Its mild citrus-herbal character provides a pleasant base without overpowering the other herbs.

Lemon balm also has a long history of traditional herbal use, including in preparations associated with relaxation and mild stress. Modern research has investigated some of these traditional uses, but results vary depending on the preparation and shouldn't be interpreted as proof that a simple cup of lemon balm tea treats a medical condition.

Chamomile — Matricaria chamomilla

Chamomile flowers bring the unmistakable character of chamomile tea: mild, floral and slightly apple-like.

Chamomile has a long history as a traditional evening herb and is frequently associated with bedtime teas. That tradition shouldn't be confused with established treatment for insomnia. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that clinical evidence showing chamomile to be effective for insomnia is not conclusive.

For Evening Garden Tea, we use chamomile primarily for what it contributes to the cup: aroma, flavor and a wonderful garden-tea character.

Spearmint — Mentha spicata

Spearmint gives the blend its fresh finish.

Compared with making the entire blend mint-forward, using a smaller proportion allows spearmint to brighten the lemon balm and chamomile without covering their more delicate flavors.

It's also a natural companion for lemon balm—both belong to the mint family.

Evening Garden Tea Recipe

Makes approximately 1 cup of loose herbal tea blend

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried lemon balm leaf

• ¼ cup dried chamomile flowers

• ¼ cup dried spearmint leaf

Make the Blend

Gently combine the dried herbs in a clean, completely dry bowl.

Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and label it with the name Evening Garden Tea and the date it was blended.

Store your tea in a cool, dark, dry place to help preserve its aroma and flavor.

Brew a Cup

Add 1–2 teaspoons of Evening Garden Tea to a mug or tea infuser.

Pour 8 ounces of freshly boiled water over the herbs.

Cover and allow the tea to steep for approximately 5–10 minutes, then strain.

Taste it and adjust the amount of tea or steeping time the next time you brew a cup. Herbal tea doesn't have to be an exact science when you're brewing it simply for enjoyment.

Add a little honey if desired.

Why Cover Herbal Tea While It Steeps?

There's a small habit we recommend when preparing aromatic herbal teas:

Put a lid on the cup.

Lemon balm and spearmint contain aromatic volatile compounds. Covering the mug while the herbs steep helps keep more of that wonderful aroma with your infusion rather than simply allowing the steam to escape.

When the steep is finished, remove the cover and take a moment to smell the tea before drinking it.

That's part of the experience.

Make It Your Own

The 2:1:1 recipe is our starting blend, not a rule.

Prefer mint? Add a little more spearmint.

Want the chamomile to stand out? Increase the flowers slightly.

Love lemon balm? Keep it dominant.

One of the pleasures of making loose herbal tea is learning how individual herbs change a blend. Make small batches, write down the proportions you use, and adjust them until you find your favorite.

A Simple Evening Ritual

There's something satisfying about preparing tea from recognizable leaves and flowers.

Measure the herbs. Heat the water. Cover the cup. Wait a few minutes.

Then sit down and enjoy it.

We call this blend Evening Garden Tea because that's exactly how we like to think about it—not as a treatment or a promise of a perfect night's sleep, but as a simple herbal tea that fits naturally into the slower part of the day.

And sometimes a quiet cup of tea is reason enough to grow the herbs.

Want to keep the recipe handy? Copy this printable Evening Garden Tea recipe card to save, print, and add to your own herbal recipe collection.

A Quick Safety Note

Chamomile can cause allergic reactions, particularly in people who are sensitive to related plants such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies. NCCIH also notes potential medication interactions with chamomile and that relatively little is known about its safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication, have allergies, or have a medical condition, check with an appropriate healthcare professional about whether individual herbs are suitable for you.

This recipe is provided for educational and culinary purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

EVANS ORGANICSHerbal Solutions

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