High summer gatherings are oh my gosh so magical. Everything is bursting outside and laden with the heaviness that late summer brings. The air is heavy, the heat is intense, but the opportunity for gathering is incredibly high vibe. Late summer, that is, early August and September, is this in-between season that feels like the deep, deep sleep of summer before the slow and gradual awakening into Fall. The delicate in-between sleepy feeling where you think yourself awake, but you’re not quite on the cusp of reality. That’s what high summer feels like to me. And it’s a glorious time to throw an herbal tea party.

Sustainably Sourced Herbal Tea

The late summer season is the best time to play with your tea blends for iced and overnight infusions, making them cool and refreshing to take the edge off the oppressive heat. So many tea blends are ideal for a summer tea party, especially the fruity, floral and delicate varieties. These infuse sweetly and with a burst of color! My top three favorite teas for a high vibe summer tea party all come from Mountain Rose Herbs, each one sourced organically and sustainably.

I keep a collection of about a dozen herbal tea blends from Mountain Rose Herbs, including green teas, black teas, flowering teas and herbal teas. There’s one for literally any occasion. Mountain Rose Herbs is my favorite place to stock my tea apothecary because they’re committed to sustainable sourcing for every single herb, and they never stock conventionally grown botanicals – only organically grown. When certified organic materials are not available, they opt for those cultivated without chemicals or synthetic inputs. And their formulas are some of the best I’ve ever had – absolutely delicious! Here’s what I’m serving at my high vibe summer tea parties:

Herbal Tea For a Summer Tea Party

Love Tea – The gorgeous tea blend that’s the showstopper of your tea party table. With a floral, sweet flavor and earthy undertones, it’s my favorite to offer upon one’s arrival to my home. A combination of organic damiana leaf, organic roasted cacao nibs, organic roasted carob, organic orange peel, organic rose petals, organic cassia cinnamon chips, and organic French vanilla tea flavoring, it does contain a small amount of caffeine. Brew this up for 3-5 minutes in hot water, and enjoy it’s incredibly delicious aroma and it’s golden yellow color. I find this the best tea to serve to an intimate gathering, to open the heart, and encourage vibrant, connected conversation.

Honeyroo – A most playful summer tea! A combination of Red Rooibos and Honeybush, it’s a sweetly flavored, and gorgeous brick orange color. Brewing up a pot of this aromatic tea conjures the heady aromas of late summer berries, roses, and honey. This is my absolute favorite tea to make a big jug in the morning, and place in the refrigerator or serve iced on the hottest summer days.

Flowering Teas – Organic flowering teas are treasures to keep in your tea cupboard. These are just a total gem of a gift for someone, to serve them a teapot of a floating, budding flower, rich in floral aromas and delicate in sweetness. This is what I serve to someone who needs extra love and emotional support. Dawn’s Delight features choice organic green tea buds blissfully combined with fragrant organic Jasmine flowers. Evening Star contains the same delightful combination of herbs, but sewn in a more traditional “loop” pattern. Marigold Embrace features organic green tea sewn around a stunningly bright organic Marigold flower. Rosebud Revealed tea encompasses the remarkable trifecta of organic green tea, jasmine and rose. You need a glass teapot to watch these botanical beauties slowly uncurl upon! Just add hot water to these tightly woven bundles, and watch them infuse into golden shades.

Read More: Intuitive Tea Blending

Tea Party Accessories

Making herbal teas for a gathering, especially a tea party, can be a visual spectacle. Teas can be your table centerpieces if you let them! Use glass teapots to show off the flowering tea! And sweet celestial tea strainers for the floral infusions. I also keep a variety of mesh teaspoons on hand for quick, one cup infusions. I’m a mug collector, and my cupboards are way too full with mugs and tumblers and ceramics. Everyone get’s to chose their own mug (it’s like a funky personality test if you’re an herbal nerd like me). Pretty colorful plates, fresh seasonal fruits, and your favorite local honey will make your high vibe summer tea party exquisite. I’d love to see what you’re creating this summer with your tea gatherings, too! Tag your photos with #curatingmyapothecary and let’s take a peek!