What is Garden Direct?

Premium & Rarified Micro-lots

Garden Direct is a carefully curated selection of single-origin teas sourced from the most esteemed growers. Each year we travel the world of tea, connecting with tea makers to source truly outstanding micro-lots. We procure these limited batches during the peak harvest seasons to offer single origin and single cultivar teas from specific gardens. They are packaged freshly at origin and air freighted to us immediately so we can celebrate and share our most cherished teas with you during the prime producing seasons. Each tea tells a story and invites you to share in our Garden Direct connections.

The Highly Anticipated Harvest

Spring is an exciting time for tea lovers as the first crop of tea is typically the most revered.  The specific date of harvest depends on the location’s latitude, elevation, and relative weather conditions. As the earth moves from cold hibernation into energetic bursts of new life the growing season starts anew and thus begins our new season of Garden Direct tea.

Some of the first harvests come to us from China in the Mingqian season, which literally means “Before Qing Ming.” Qing Ming is the annual tomb sweeping festival and honors the ancestors with a time of celebration. In Japan, the first flush teas are categorized as shincha, or new tea. This tea harvest season begins in late March in warmer southern regions of Japan and lower elevations and mid to late April for higher elevation regions.

Similar to the anticipation of Beaujolais Nouveau or other sought-after wines, tea enthusiasts share the excitement of the seasons within the global tea harvest calendar. True tea connoisseurs know these seasons and eagerly await the release of the new crop vintage.

Direct Trade

Our Garden Direct series of tea is only possible through our Direct Trade program. Our Direct Trade offers the freshest connection to amazing teas, botanicals and spices from the best growers in world.  We have supported this model for many years and use it to source our single origin and heritage teas.We pay farmers equitably and beyond sustainable prices for their hard work and dedication to quality so we can share the best and freshest teas and herbs with our customers.