The delicious, highly invasive herb that can easily conquer your garden
Mint is a gardener's delight, offering everything from chocolate to pineapple flavours. However, its vigorous, spreading nature means it can quickly dominate your flowerbeds. Learning to manage this hardy perennial is the secret to enjoying its aromatic leaves without a garden-wide takeover.
Mint (Mentha) is an exceptionally easy-to-grow perennial herb, prized for its versatile, aromatic leaves. Depending on the variety, you can harvest fresh young shoot tips from spring through autumn. While many species are hardy and thrive in sun or partial shade, their sheer vigour is their most defining trait. Because many varieties are vigorous, spreading plants, experts recommend growing them in pots to ensure they remain contained and do not escape into the wider garden.
The genus is diverse, with an estimated 25 species alongside numerous hybrids. Culinary favourites include spearmint (Mentha spicata) and peppermint (Mentha × piperita), but more exotic varieties like lime, chocolate, apple, and banana mint offer unique profiles. Some, such as pineapple mint, feature creamy-white leaf margins, while others may have ruffled or smooth leaves in shades of purple or green. In summer or early autumn, many varieties produce pink, purple, or white flowers that are beneficial to pollinators.
Caution is necessary when selecting plants, as not all aromatic plants are true mints, and some can be problematic. For instance, Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal) is listed as 'harmful if eaten' by the Horticultural Trades Association. Additionally, plants like catmint (Nepeta) or Korean mint (Agastache rugosa) are often confused with true Mentha species. To ensure your plants are culinary-safe and correctly identified, it is best to buy from reputable suppliers or herb nurseries.
If you wish to expand your collection, mint is easily propagated through division or by using cuttings. For those starting from seed, the best approach is to sow indoors during the spring. Simply scatter seeds thinly on the surface of damp, peat-free compost in small pots or trays, pressing them down lightly without covering them with soil.
Source: How to grow MINT and STOP it taking over
