Front Yard Tea

I take this version of iced tea to parties all the time and it always a big hit. I think people like the name :-) I keep a jar of it in my fridge most of the summer. This tea is such a great alternative to sugary sodas or expensive juices.

I am lucky enough to have lots of fresh herbs in my front yard: several kinds of mint, lemon balm, lemon verbena, bronze fennel, white lavender, all pictured above. I will even use raspberry leaves, lemon tree leaves, rose petals, oregano, parsley, yarrow and white clover. You can throw in slices of lemon or orange, too. I do make sure I am using plants I know won't poison me ;-) otherwise anything can end up in my tea.
Mint is so easy to grow everyone one should have some in their yard or in a pot. If you don't have fresh herbs for whatever reason, you can use tea bags or loose herbs.
It's a good idea to balance the flavors, too much of a strong herb can overpower your tea. Go easy on the lavender for example.
You can make it sun tea by filling your jar or pitcher with the herbs and water and leaving it outside to steep. I stuff my herbs in the jar and pour boiling water over it to the top. Let it steep for an hour before setting it into the fridge. If you use dried herbs you should probably strain it first.