The Croft Tea Collection

There is something deeply satisfying about gathering herbs you've watched grow from tiny shoots into generous handfuls of fragrant green.

Today marked the beginning of this year's harvest at Wester Auchraw Croft. The oregano was ready, filling the hallway with its warm, earthy scent as it hangs to dry from one of the old beams in the croft. In a few weeks, it will find its way into our own herbal tea collection for guests to enjoy in their rooms.

Although much of what we harvest comes from our organic garden, I also love venturing a little further afield. Earlier today I was out near Kenmore, where patches of wild mugwort grow quietly along the roadside and woodland edges.

Last year I carefully lifted a few young plants, roots and all, and brought them back to the croft. They settled happily into the garden and have flourished, becoming part of our own little sanctuary of herbs.

It reminds me that a garden is never really finished. It grows with every season, every walk and every new discovery.

This year our teas will include herbs such as oregano, mint, thyme, yarrow and hawthorn, with seasonal berries added whenever nature provides them. Each one is harvested by hand, slowly dried, and prepared for guests to enjoy after a day exploring Loch Earn, cycling National Cycle Route 7 or walking the surrounding hills.

One of my favourite things about gathering herbs is that it changes the way you see the landscape. You begin to notice the hedgerows, woodland edges and forgotten corners where wild plants quietly thrive. A simple walk becomes an adventure, and every season offers something different.

Perhaps that's the real gift of foraging. It encourages us to slow down, look more closely and rediscover the abundance that has always been there.

This is only the beginning of the harvest, and I look forward to sharing more of the garden with our guests as the summer unfolds.

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