Thank you for showing interest in my Tea in the Garden books, the books explore the many tea/plant relationships including White Peony. As a tea its known as Bai Mudan, a type of white tea made from the youngest leaves from the tea plant Camellia sinensis. As a plant the peony has great significance in…

Ready to get to the root of tea?  Tea in the Garden: The Root of Tea is a look at tea from different perspectives.  Tea’s historic roots in ancient times is explored, leaves, stems, roots provide insight into the different types of teas. Many countries in the world grow tea, where does the tea plant…

Tea in the Garden: Tea and Spices is an in depth look at the ancient relationship between tea and spices. There is more to spices than jars in the local supermarket, tea is more interesting than a box of bargain tea bags.  Both tea and spices have travelled long and exotic paths to become the…

Delve into the world of Tea in the Garden: Tea and Flowers for an intoxicating look at the beauty of flowers and their connection to tea.  Flowers have had a historical relationship with tea for centuries by either being directly linked to tea through culture or blended in with the tea leaves and consumed. We…

Tea in the Garden: Tea Wares is a detailed insight to the ceramics industry focusing on the historical aspects of tea wares.  From the toy sets for children’s tea parties to the fineness of delicate bone china teacups, porcelain in its various forms has been part of our daily lives for centuries. It was created…

Tea in the Garden: Tea Lovers and Plant Hunters moves fluidly from the past to the present. The book explores how tea leaves China, how ships especially the tea clippers were responsible for the evolution of the tea trade, how pirates made trade terrifying, the sensational tea dynasties many of whom are still in business…

A Tea “Four” the Seasons is about the relationship plants have with the universe.  It explores how the moon, sun and planets are all connected to life on earth.  We look at concept of time, especially the fascinating ways people kept time in the past. Imagine living in a world where people did not know…

Herbs and medicinal plants are very fascinating, the research showed me all kinds of uses for plants I thought were just pretty garden flowers.  Many of the plants mentioned in the book are poisonous and have a dark side going back to the Medieval times.  I also have a great deal of respect for the…

This lovely book  provides a glimpse into the enchanting world of the Japanese tea culture and especially the pretty sakura.  Sakura is Japanese for cherry blossom!  The cherry trees bloom for such a short time demonstrating the fleeting beauty of nature and the importance of slowing down and admiring its ever changing beauty.  Tea in…

When it comes time for spring planting do you ever stop to ask yourself what is the difference between a bulb, corm, rhizome, and a tuber, or the difference between an annual and a perennial?  In horticultural terms how is a flush defined?  These questions will be answered in the context of tea as both…

Tea drinking to many involves a cup, a tea bag and a kettle of boiling water.  This was the tea I was raised on: good, old-fashioned, reliable, consistent tea bag tea.  Drop the tea bag in the cup, pour boiling water, lots of milk, and drink.  I never gave tea a second thought.  That is…