what fun! i love herb tea too. this sounds a bit silly since its so simple but perhaps just grow what you like to drink. mint and chamomile are very easy to grow and nice for tea. lemon grass is a large tropical shrub so buy that one unless you have a large yard and live in the tropics! dried lemon balm does not taste like lemon but is nice for the nerves, depression and sleep. catnip is perennial and very easy to grow too, a nice bitter for the tummy. maybe check out the herb gardening forum for more complete gardening chat and info. good luck!

Thank you!
I wasn't quite sure of the difference between herbalism and herbs so I posted here, but I think I might understand the difference now

This is a fun thread! How about roselle (hibiscus sabdariffa), which is a short lived perennial, ginger (can be rooted from a grocery-store purchase), or galangal (can be found in asian markets)--galangal's flavor is much milder than ginger. The acid from the roselle mixed with any small amount of the gingers might make quite an uplifting tea. All three can be grown in pots. The last two will go dormant fall to winter (most of the time).
Keep us updated and with photos!
Good luck,
Lee

Be sure to read through the back posts on the Herbs forum. This is a pretty common thread that much has been written on.

Seeing roselle mentioned, I'll mention that it is very easy to grow and a pretty plant. My season is way too short for any sort of production though so I can't imagine zone 7 of the OP will fare much better. I'd opt for rose hips instead in zone 7.

As far as drying, get screens to dry your herbs on. Skip hanging herbs in bunches. Too much effort for so-so results in moist climates. And only roots, fruits or herbs needing a quicker drying time since they air dry so poorly may need a dehydrator's help. But even so, some roots and fruits like dandelion roots, hawthorne berries and rose hips air dry amazingly well.

Enjoy your garden.

FataMorgana

Pineapple sage and pineapple mint make an excellent tea when combined--one is very aromatic, and the other has a nice flavor. The sage is not as hardy as the mint, unfortunately, but it grows quickly and produces many leaves and a little red flower that can be used for garnishing.

Marigolds could add color. Violet and rosehips are great for tea.

Julie you can find lots of herbs & spices at Richters herb in Toronto.

Here is a link that might be useful: Richters

Akebia's make good tea as well.

Can someone please help me with this question, I have been wondering is there a specific rose to use for teas, tinctures, and such?

Ttraditionally in France the apothecary rose ( Rosa gallica 'Officinalis') was used.
It is a once bloomer and the flowering time is rather short. (2 weeks).
See if this article is helpful.

For rose water, Kazanlik is used in Bulgaria.
For hips check the Antique rose forums. There are many threads on that.

Laura, I just answered in your other thread.

FataMorgana

I grow lots of things for herbal teas, and I made a "to die for" tea blend last year that I've been enjoying all through the winter months. I classify things as those things that are tender that I grow in pots so I can move them in during the winter, things that I grow in pots outside because they are wildly invasive and I don't want them taking over my yard, perennials that I can keep under control, and annuals or things I grow from seed each year. So here is my list (with comments):

Tender things:
Lemon Verbena - an absolute essential for herbal teas - the very best lemony herb. It is a small shrub that does well in pots, but it will not survive anywhere that has cold winters. I move it in during winter.
Stevia - I like it, my wife does not, but it has a similar growth habit as the Lemon Verbena, needing to be brought in during winter.
Lemon Grass - I grow it in a pot, but each spring after last frost, I dump it out of its big pot, split the clump in half, put one half in the yard, and the other half back in the pot with some fresh potting mix. Both stay out all summer, but before it gets cold I move the pot in the house - the one in the ground dies. Works great for me.
Pineapple Sage - I've had no luck keeping it alive outside in the winter, so I grow it in a pot and bring it in.
Yerba Mate - Great stuff, but a tropical, so I'm keeping it under control, not to big in a pot, and moving it inside when cold.
Some Mints - Although most mints are extremely hardy, I've had some Orange Mints and Apple Mints and other similar ones die completely in cold weather. Maybe a more sheltered location would be okay

Things in Pots:
Mints - Peppermint, Spearmint, Kentucky Gentleman, Orange Mint, Apple Mint, Chocolate Mint, Banana Mint, Candy Cane, Berries & Cream Mint, Ginger Mint. So far I have still not been able to stay ahead of our families' use of mints during the growing season to where we don't run out of dried long before the growing season starts up again - though I'm trying.
Lemon Balm - because it spreads like mints.

Perennials:
Stinging Nettles - Extremely nutritious and makes a great addition to tea blends, but the stuff grows like mad and can be invasive. I have it planted in a raised bed, will kill anything that tries to peek out, and keep it cut back unmercifully in order to keep it from going to seed - because it really wants to. A great addition to things like soups and stews, adding a flavor and texture like spinach. Of course dealing with the "stinging" part....
Bee Balm (Bergomat) - A great tea herb and flowering perennial, though it can also be invasive. I cut a lot of it while young, no more than a foot tall, makes a great tea fresh or dried.
Lemon Bergomat - see above.
Anise Hyssop - Such a great tea herb, adds a sweetness really better than Stevia in my opinion.
Tea - Camellia sinensis - my plants are still fairly young, but I was able to collect some leaf tips last year, and miraculously they made it through winter here.. I'm afraid that is the challenge.
Lavender - I use it sparingly in my tea, but it is an interesting flavor in small amounts.
Catnip - I really haven't been growing this much, but it is a great tea herb that can be invasive like lemon balm and other mints.
Roses for Rose Hips - The best hips on any roses are on those in the Rugosa variety. Luckily this is a very old fashioned variety, resistant to many of the challenges of roses. I love them for tea, but in reality they are far harder to deal with than Roselle, which come off in buckets full.

Annuals:
Chamomile - A necessity, no question, though sometimes I've had a challenge getting it to germinate and get started - seems like it should even do a better job of reseeding!!
Roselle - This is the hibiscus used for the best tea. If you've ever had Red Zinger, this is what makes it. Requires a very long growing season - even I start it inside here in Zone 7 to get it going sooner. I had nine plants last year, and once they started producing late August I was filling my dehydrator and teapot about every other day until frost. Besides mints and Anise Hyssop, I would say this is my favorite. Yes, I had to learn how to process them quickly and effectively, but once I did it was no problem. Far, far more productive than any roses, with a similar kind of contribution to the tea.
Callendula - The bright yellow flowers make a wonderful addition to a pot of tea and they are extremely good for you in multiple ways.

I'm sure there are some others I've got and am looking to grow, as I'm always looking for great additions. Culinary and medicinal herbs is something for an entirely different post!!

My favorite tea is Red Clover. It's so good and healthy!! Plus you can find them everywhere for free! Also Nettle tea is amazing and gives me great sustainable energy. Try making an infusion instead of tea. You use one ounce herb in a quart jar of boiling water and let it sit for at least four hours. So yummy