Unlike many other herbs, mints grow well in moist soil and are happy in some shade. Most are perennials (they live for more than 2 years), and die back to ground level over winter.There is quite a range of different mints, many of which have distinctive flavours or scents when the leaves are crushed. It’s worth growing a few different types of mint just for the attractive variation in foliage.
You might try gold-splashed ginger mint (
Mentha x gracilis ‘Variegata’), black peppermint (
Mentha x piperita) with pointed, purple-tinged leaves or pineapple mint (
Mentha suaveolens ‘Variegata’), one of the most attractive mints with cream and green-patterned leaves.
Eastern mint (
Mentha longifolia subsp. schimperi) is used to make peppermint tea in Morocco. Spearmint (
Mentha spicata) can be used for mint sauce and adding to vegetables and salads. Eau de Cologne mint (
Mentha x piperita f citrata) can be used in oils and vinegars or added to your bath. And if you get really hooked, you could also seek out chocolate peppermint (apparently with After Eight-scented leaves), basil mint, grapefruit mint, lavender mint, lime mint and many more.
Most varieties are highly invasive – they spread like wildfire through your borders, so you should plant them in deep containers sunk into the soil (with adequate drainage holes), or help contain them by sinking slates on edge into the soil to form a barrier around the clump.
Planting – plant out young plants (small is fine, they will soon spread) at any time. Alternatively, dig up a small amount from a friend’s mint clump (including some root) and plant this in a pot or straight into a border. The chances are it will grow into a healthy sprouting of your own.
Soil and position – they need moist soil although being such tough plants they will tolerant some drought. Sun or shade except pineapple mint which can scorch in full sun.
Care – Keep an eye on clumps for escaping and spreading shoots. In dry weather keep watered to help prevent powdery mildew.
