One of our traditions that has become a rite of spring is to make Violet Tea. We celebrate the beginning of the growing season with a tea party. My young neighbors and I look forward to this every year; it’s such a delight to share a cuppa of these sweeties.
Gathering Violets
Violet Harvest
Making Violet Tea: Gather a cup or two of fresh blossoms, stems removed. We add a few sprigs of fresh mint for extra flavor. Place in teapot. Add water heated to just below boiling (160-180F). Steep five minutes. Enjoy! Violets are high in vitamin C and make pretty additions to salads or just for snacking.
Pouring Tea
Delicious!
Eliza Waters 
Wow! I never thought to do that – I’m going to try some tomorrow – thank you Eliza! ❤
Thank you, Sandra. It is a special treat (don’t forget the mint, and sweetener [honey] is optional). Let me know what you think of it.
How fun to share with children…I remember your tea party from last year. Some years certain blooms are more abundant than others….it seems to be a great “violet year”….I have them all over the place! So pretty…leaves and flowers!
I love wild violets and there are tons of them here. Maybe you can have a tea party with your granddaughter. 🙂
Great idea!
So very sweet! Very much needed in these unsweet times.
Yes, I do savor visits from these dear souls. 🙂
How adorable! Since I don’t have violets I must forego the tea. It does look delicious, however!! 🌸
Thank you, Amy. My lawn is fully wild. 🙂
Wish I was there to enjoy violet tea with you and your special friends!! But we did have a lovely lunch today!! Be well my friend and see you soon!!
Yes, we did, thank you! Come visit soon and I’ll make you a pot of tea! 🙂
I will have to try that, if I can find violets. Thanks Eliza!
Thank you, Hien. If you have a lawn that is pesticide/herbicide free, chances are good they may grow there. I don’t mow as long as they are in bloom.
This is such a sweet thing to do!
It is so much fun! 🙂
I will have to add this to my spring tradition….violets are just coming up now so I will be making violet tea with peppermint, also just coming up now! Thanks for the treat….your neighbors are lucky for you and your spring ritual!!
I will have to add this to my spring tradition….violets are just coming up now so I will be making violet tea with peppermint, also just coming up now! Thanks for the treat….your neighbors are lucky for you and your spring ritual!!
Thank you, Donna. After the long winter, it is a great way to celebrate spring’s arrival. I’m smiling the whole time!
How adorable is this! I love making fresh herb teas of all kinds, but have never thought of gathering violets and making tea — thanks for the great idea, Eliza.
Thanks, Jet. It’s a special celebration since the violets bloom for only a couple weeks in early May. I get to be a kid again. 😉
How sweet Eliza ☕️🍧🍥 love this idea
Thank you, Karen. These kids own my <3!
Ooh, I recognized your little neighbors from last year!! I have drifts of violets on the lawn, not to mention mint. I may try this, though I am not a fan of herbal teas. It might just be the perfect new experience!
It wouldn’t be half as much fun without the wee ones and the tea set. 😉 Honey makes herbal tea more palatable for me. 🙂
Erk. Boiled grass, but occasionally nice, especially with a bit of ceremony.
Sweet tradition Eliza!
Thank you, Belinda. We love it!
I have never seen a more perfect way to start the month of May. 🙂
🙂 Thanks, Judy!
I’ve never heard of violet tea, but can well imagine its sweet taste just by the smell of the flower heads alone. Looks like a lovely tradition to keep.
(I’m afraid my repertoire of herbal teas is mainly chamomile in winter, with the occasional ginger, peppermint and lemongrass used medicinally. I have used pineapple sage and other herbs back in the early 1990s when I trained in Herbal Medicine and Aromatherapy though. Sad to say I’ve forgotten much of what I learned and am now allergic to many essential oils due to my MCS. Just remembered I used to grow a lemon scented Geranium to dry and drink as a tea).
We drink a lot of herbal tea, mostly in winter, although I make iced herbal tea for hot summer days, esp. lemon balm or spiced varieties.
That’s adorable. You make me guilty about grumbling at the violets which are starting to show up around of here, in spite of my zero tolerance policy. Maybe a few won’t hurt 😉
Thanks, Frank. Violets support fritillary butterflies – I have loads of them. Both violets and butterflies. 😉
That’s so sweet and such a nice tradition. Your sweet little neighbor girls will remember that for the rest of their lives.
The oldest now lets me know when she sees the first violet. It so warms my heart! 🙂
What a cool idea! I had not idea you could do this with violets
Thanks, Ellen. All violas (pansies, johnny-jump-ups, violets) are edible. I’ve used them in salads and to decorate cakes, which is so pretty!
A tea-party! How wonderful. 😀
Yes, it really was! 🙂
It’s a delight to share a cuppa of and with these (two) sweeties I think!
Lovely!
Thank you, Noortje. Truly a delight!
How fun! Wish I’d been at the tea party! 🙂 ❤
Me, too, Natalie. You’d be welcome. 🙂 It is quite fun!
Thanks. I’m certain it’s great fun! 💞💞💞
I never heard of violet tea. Interesting!
Ummm…
Please do not use my site to request followers, I find it impolite. Thanks.
Hi Jim (sorry about the hack) … Yes, it is delicious and we do have a lot of fun!
LOL! That was interesting. Also, my name is Lonnie not Jim. 🙂
Oops, sorry, Lonnie. Don’t know why I’ve thought it was Jim all this time! Geesh! I reported that hack as spam and deleted it. Nothing is sacred anymore. 😦
LOL! That was a first for me. Well, another weird thing happened. Someone followed me and they have a pretty good gardening blog. Then someone followed with a real estate blog. Somehow they are attached because when I clicked to follow one, the other was attached. When I click to unfollow, both get unfollowed automatically. 🙂
WP craziness!
I remember the first time I read about your violet tea tradition on your blog – it is lovely to know that the girls still enjoy coming. Little ones can be such fun to have around.
It is true – they really light up my days!
So sweet! Something those children will remember forever and maybe share with their neighbours’ children.
Thank you, Ali. I hope they bring their own kids some day, when I’m an old bitty, tee-hee!
For the sweetener you could add stevia leaves if you have them growing in the garden. Zero calories.
I’ve heard of stevia, but haven’t used it. These two definitely don’t have to worry about calories, lol!
I use a couple of leaves when I make mint or lemon verbena tea. It is very sweet but doesn’t have the nasty aftertaste of some sweeteners. It is also used to make a commercial sweetener but I’ve never tried it.
Oh, that’s gorgeous, Eliza. I would never have thought of violet tea. And so pretty 🙂
Thank you, Rebecca. The color is aquamarine, simply gorgeous tea!
A lovely tradition which they will remember for ever
Oh how cute! I am not a tea drinker, but my kids might like this!
Thank you, Indie. It is lots of fun, and no electronics in sight! 😉
It’s lovely to have these little traditions. The little tea cups are so sweet.
We look forward to it every year. May the tradition never fade!
🙂
And a great idea for a little party, especially when the guests are so charming!
Thanks, Marian. Immersed in the garden with good company, who can ask for more? 😉
Hi Eliza,
What a great idea. The kids will remember this forever and it helps them to appreciate nature. Not to mention, the perk for you is that they are so much fun.
Thank you, Sally. Getting kids interested in nature is definitely dear to my heart, as are these young-uns!
What a wonderful tradition!! The tea looks so pretty and your tea party guests are so cute.
We don’t have violets here on the ranch (not sure why — I have seen them in the woods in one of the state parks). But we do have them in NE Ohio where I’ll be heading next week for my third chance at spring flowers and I will try some violet and mint tea while I’m there with my grandchildren. Thank you for sharing this. 🙂
Thank you, Robin. It wouldn’t be half as much fun without the kids. They make everything fun! Enjoy your trip and 3rd spring!
I bet that is really tasty! I never thought to do that. I’ll have to wait till next year now!
It works with viola tricolor, too. But it is the abundance of viola soraria that makes gathering blooms so easy.
We have Viola odorata here, also in abundance, and I can imagine the simple pleasure of gathering the flowers is what makes your tradition so special! 🙂
It is 🙂
What a super idea and delightful tradition to share
Thank you, Allison. 🙂
Such a wonderful Spring tradition! I’ve never tried this, but it looks like your young friends love it! 🙂
Thanks, Joanna. We have great fun, just the thing to do on these beautiful spring days. 🙂
How sweet! Love this tradition. My daughter and I used to have lots of tea parties 🙂 I’ll have to remember the violet tea. I haven’t seen any violets recently, but when I do, I’ll pick some and try this. Thank you so much for the idea!
Thank you, Maria. Since I had boys that weren’t interested in such things, these girls help make up for it. Such fun!
It’s great to borrow some extra kids from time to time 😊
It is! 🙂
A delightful spring tradition with your adorable little friends! Looks like a good time was had by all. Welcome spring!
Thank you, Peter. Indeed, everyone is thrilled it is spring at last!
A lovely ritual Eliza!
Thank you, Andrea!
What a lovely thing to do with little gardeners! Floral flavor I am guessing?
The flavor is subtle, thus the lower water temperature to preserve the essence. The mint perks it up, too.
Do you remember the perfume?:
You mean the one at the 5 & 10? I do!
Yes, Violet water -I think.
This is such a great idea! It’s also such a great way to introduce kids to some of nature’s bounty.
Thank you, Sarah. My little foragers! 🙂
I love this Eliza, what a wonderful tradition with those precious girls! I’ve been noticing lots of violets everywhere here lately, maybe I should start making violet tea with my little Noelle. ❤ They’re fresh, right, not dried first?
Thank you, Julie. Yes, we pick them fresh and toss them in the pot before adding water. Couldn’t be easier. Using the play tea set adds to the fun. Lots of pouring and drinking! 😉 I expect Noelle would love it.
Thanks, they looked fresh in the pictures, but I just wanted to make sure. I need to get Noelle a toy tea set. 😊
It lets us be little girls again. 😉
Such a wonderful tradition! I expect you’re bestowing a lifetime love of gardens on those 2 little girls.
Thanks, Kris. I hope so. The eldest is my little apprentice. 😉 She definitely loves flower arranging and has her own vases. The youngest remembers to ask for catnip to take back to her cat – sooo cute!
Sounds wonderful. Cute pictures Eliza
Thank you, Dorris!
What a lovely idea!
Thank you, it’s a lot of fun!
Perfect! So nice to spend time with young friends and inspire them to think of plants, to appreciate them and enjoy them, They won’t forget this tea ritual!
Thank you, I hope I am planting lifelong seeds. 🙂
This is new to me! I love the photos as much as the recipe ❤
Thanks, Christy. The girls really love the whole process, start to finish. I hope they never outgrow our tea parties!
Such a wonderful idea and lovely tea party!🙂 Every photo made me smile.🙂
Thank you, I love these two madly!
Oh my! Why do little girls enjoy tea so much? It seems to be instinctual, like little boys climb trees.
Maybe, but I was a little girl who loved climbing trees, 🙂 and I’m sure there are boys who enjoy a sweet tea. 🙂
I did not like sweet tea back when I was still able to climb trees, but I had to learn how to do tea properly when my baby sisters and nieces came along. I have been an arborist since 1988, but as no longer good at climbing trees. I think that there is more gravity now than there was back then.
Lovely tradition. Never heard of violet tea! Thanks for educating me.
Thank you, Denzil. My pleasure!
Awesome Post…!! Nice Recipe… !!
Thank you, Priscilla!