Mint

WE. LOVE. MINT!  Mint is such a great herb for its wide array of flavors, from peppery, to fruity, to chocolatey, its calming properties, as a deterrent for mosquitos, and its attractiveness to a variety of pollinators. Mints are in the Lamiaceae family, which is sometimes just called the mint family, but is really the umbrella family for MOST of the great cooking herbs used in western cooking and quite a few potent medicinals, including sage, oregano and marjoram, thyme, rosemary, lavendar, savory, basil, hyssop, skullcap, coleus, bee balm, and shiso.  Plants in this group including mints can be recognized by their square stems. Mints are vigorous and easy to grow, so easy that most people recommend NOT planting them in the ground as they tend to spread and can choke out plants around them. For the best results, mint likes sun to part shade, PLENTY of water, and regular pruning for the healthiest, bushiest growth. It can also stand to have 1/3 of its root mass pruned each year so it doesn't get pot-bound.