A nymph in my garden .... (Mint)

Member Name: thehonesttruth

Product:	Mint
Date:	06/07/09 (87 review reads)
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There are lots of varieties of mint, or Mentha as the plant genus is known. Spearmint is provably one of the most common varieties, and you'll probably have had something spearmint flavoured - perhaps toothpaste or breath mints, or even a polo.

The name Mentha, like many plant names has a mythological association. Minthe was a Nymph, who attracted the love of Pluto, much to the chagrin of his jealous wife, Prosperine . In fact, Prosperine was so jealous, she transformed Minthe into a humble plant. Although Pluto struggled to change her back, he did not succeed, so instead he gave Minthe a lovely scent, so that when the leaves were crushed underfoot, people would take note. Over time, the name evolved into Mentha .

My mint plant started as a small plant, no bigger than four or five inches, purchased from a garden centre for about a pound . I planted it into partially shaded moist soil - and pretty much left it alone after that . Mind spreads through its root network - and boy, does it spread . My tiny little plant after three years is now dangerously close to becoming a hedge, not that I mind at all - it releases a lovely scent into the garden, and its bright, jagged edged leaves keep my garden looking green .

However, because it does tend to spread so well, mint can kill other plants - I used to have some parsley and thyme, but the mint surrounded them, blocking off a lot of their sunlight .

I've since moved them, and they have recovered, but it's worth bearing in mind if you do plan on planting mint . Plants grow to around 2 feet in height, with small clusters of flowers in white pink and lilac. They are perennial, so can last for a long time, however the stems can become a bit woody after a while, but this is easily solved by removing older sections of the plant .

Spearmint has a number of used, not just in food, but in medicine too . Pliny once said 'It will not suffer milk to cruddle in the stomach, and therefore it is put in milk that is drunke, lest those that drinke thereof should be strangled.' - in his day, mint was mixed in with milk to help keep it fresh.

Its also very commonly used as a digestive aid. In Roman times, tables were scrubbed down with mint leaves before food was placed on them, and meals were finished off with a sprig of fresh mint to aid digestion, and of course freshen the breath . Mint is still used in this way today .

In medieval times, it was also popular as a strewing herb, laid over the floors of rooms in great houses with rushes instead of a carpet . It being trodden on would of course release fresh minty aromas into the air, freshening up a room instantly, something that must surely have been very useful in the days when regular bathing was still considered dangerous and likely to lead to illness, and people must have been very whiffy.

Native Americans also used mint to prevent against colds and congestion - again, a use that has carried on to this day, with many cough sweets and decongestants containing Menthol, extracted from mint .

Mint also has some properties in helping to keep wounds clean - it was used in poultices spread on injured areas to clear infection and to keep wounds clean , and also commonly applied to stings to soothe and cool them . Again, this is a practice carried on today - I'm sure many of us have at some point used Deep Heat, Deep Freeze, or Tiger Balm - all of which have menthol as an active ingredient, and help relax muscles and soothe aches and pains . Many of the women reading this will have also used toiletries containing mint such as toners and moisturisers .

Of course, the majority of us who grow mint probably do so to use it in cooking - it is of course excellent in a mint sauce served with lamb, and chopped finely into a potato salad . Mint can be used fresh for this, with leaves being good to harvest for at least six months of the year . You can of course dry your own mint for use during winter when fresh leaves are not so available - simply tie leaves in bunches and hang in a cool place to dry, then store in an airtight container.

Overall, Mint is an excellent herb to grow - it takes care of itself pretty much, and grows at great speed, meaning you'll have plenty of leaves available for whatever you wish to use them for . Plants are very cheap from garden centres, at around a £1 each . While I have focused on spearmint in this review , there are many other varieties, including peppermint, lemon mint, and even a chocolate mint.

I heartily recommend planting some of this in your garden!

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