There’s a bouquet in your teapot — especially if you are steeping a tea containing, or processed with, flowers. With Spring in the air, the time is right to try one of these fragrant and exotic tea sensations. And the choices are bountiful.

Flowers seem to play a big part in tea in several ways: some teas have flower parts in them, then there are herbals (often called “teas”) made from flowers, and finally some teas have floral aromas and flavors without having any flower parts in them. Let’s start by taking a look at some teas with flower parts in them.

Usually the parts of flowers used in teas are the petals. Sometimes, they are layered with the tea leaves and left for a few hours to infuse their fragrance with the tea. Sometimes, they are dried and mixed in with the tea. Often, though, the flower part is an “essence” or “attar,” like those used in perfumes, and are sprinkled on the dried tea leaves.

Jasmine is a common flower added to teas, mostly green teas. The heady fragrance adds its aesthetic tune to the health benefits in that green tea. Roses and lavender are common, too.

Some Teas with Jasmine:

• Buckingham Palace Garden Party tea — An unusual and tasty blend of Ceylonese Earl Grey with Jasmine, plus some Assam and Kenyan teas.
• French Blend — Rich Assam, saucy but sprightly Nilgiri and Ceylon, golden Kenyan, Chinese Jasmine, and rose petals. Provençal lavender makes this a tea that can transport you to Le Quartier Latin en Paris.
• China Jasmine Green Tea — Green tea from China with essence of Jasmine.
• Jasmine Dragon Tears Green Tea — Another green tea from China made from tea leaves plucked in the first 3 weeks of a new season when the jasmine bushes are blooming. The most fragrant blossoms are layered between the tea, giving it that distinctly uplifting fragrance.
• Jasmine #1, also simply known as Jasmine With Flowers Green Tea — Again, green tea processed between layers of jasmine blossoms so the tea leaves absorb that wonderful fragrance.
• Shanghai Lichee Jasmine Tea — Lichee fruit combines with jasmine to make this Chinese green tea a true delight.
• Oolong Orange Blossom Estate Tea — Despite the name, this is another Oolong tea with jasmine. A candidate for your next pitcher of iced tea.
• Taylors of Harrogate Jasmine Blossom Green Tea — Chinese green tea infused with the fragrance from jasmine blooms and then dried and sealed. A cupful with your next order of Chinese take-out would be a perfect combo.

Some Teas with Roses:

• French Blend — see description above.
• Sencha Kyoto Cherry Rose Festival Green Tea — Cherry joins with rose petals and Japanese Sencha green tea to give your tastebuds a thrill.
• Cinnamon Sibu Green Tea — Green tea with cinnamon and the surprise of roses.
• Golden Moon Rose Tea — Black tea with rose petals, a combination that results in a rich, floral-scented tea. Light tasting and perfect for a cool pitcher full of pleasure or a hot cup of delight.
• Oolong Rose Tea — A semi-fermented tea with rose buds.
• Pu-erh Rose Tea — Strong pu-erh with the taste and fragrance of rose buds.
• Rose Green Tea — Green tea with rose petals and a surprising fragrance of pineapple.
• Rose White Tea — More rose buds, this time with white tea.

Some Teas with Lavender:

• French Blend — see description above.
• Lavender Butterfly Green Tea — French lavender (Oo la la!) blended with Chinese green tea. Relax and de-stress with this wonderful smelling and tasting tea.
• Golden Moon  Tippy Earl Grey Tea — Oil of bergamot dances with lavender in this black tea in a soothing rhythm. Enjoy it as part of your wake-up ritual.

Don’t miss Part II, Herbals Made from Flowers.

While you wait for Part II of this three-part series on Floral Teas to hit the streets, head over to A.C.’s blog, Tea Time with A.C. Cargill, and say hello.