Dive into the World of Minty Delights
If you're a gardening enthusiast with a penchant for flavourful herbs, you're in for a treat. Mint is not just a single herb but a diverse family of plants, each offering its distinct flavour and aroma. In this article, we'll introduce you to mint varieties perfect for adding freshness to your garden, drinks, and culinary creations this summer. From the familiar spearmint to the exotic Japanese mint, there's a mint plant for every palate and garden style. Let's dive in and explore these delightful herbs.
Take Your Love of Mint Beyond the Mojito
Mint Varieties to Refresh Your Summer Garden
Mint isn't just for mojitos anymore. This versatile herb family boasts flavour profiles, leaf shapes, and growth habits, offering something to tantalise everyone's senses. Whether you crave a classic spearmint or a more adventurous chocolatey twist, a perfect mint variety is waiting to be discovered.
Mint Varieties for a Vibrant Summer Garden. Blog content:
1. Classic Mints for Familiar Favourites.
Spearmint The quintessential spearmint offers a clean, refreshing flavour that perfectly complements sweet and savoury dishes. Its simple, green leaves are ideal for teas, adding a minty zip to jellies and crafting the perfect mojito.
Garden Mint Clean and refreshing with a subtle sweetness, garden mint is ideal for teas, cocktails, and culinary dishes. Upright growth habit makes it easy to manage. This classic mint is essential for making a mint sauce to accompany roast lamb.
English Lamb Mint A mint variety with a traditional minty flavour and a hint of sweetness, similar to spearmint but slightly milder. Its round, deep green leaves are perfect for adding a minty punch to jellies, sauces, or stuffing.
2. Fruity and Floral Mint Varieties for a Sensory Explosion.
Strawberry Mint Live up to the name with strawberry mint. Its bright green leaves offer a hint of sweet strawberry with a cool, minty undertone. It is perfect for adding a refreshing twist to summer fruit salads or muddling for a delightful and unique mojito variation.
Apple Mint A delightful twist on spearmint, apple mint boasts a subtle apple-like fragrance alongside its refreshing minty character. This unique combination elevates summer salads and adds a touch of whimsy to fruit drinks.
Orange Mint This sunshine-infused mint boasts a citrusy orange aroma that brightens up potpourris and adds a unique twist to iced tea. The bright green leaves with subtle orange marbling are attractive in the garden, and a sprig can add a refreshing citrus note to grilled chicken or fish.
Lavender Mint Don't just enjoy the beautiful purple flowers of lavender mint – the calming scent of its soft, green leaves adds a touch of elegance to potpourris and sachets. While not as strong in mint flavour as some varieties, it can be used in small quantities in teas or desserts for a subtle floral-minty touch.
Blackcurrant Mint Aromatic and unexpected, blackcurrant mint offers a delightful blend of blackcurrant and mint flavours. This unique combination is perfect for jams and jellies, adding a complex depth to sweet treats. The deep green leaves have a slightly reddish tinge, particularly on the veins, and a strong blackcurrant scent upon crushing.
Berries & Cream Mint A dessert lover's dream, the berries & cream mint variety boasts a delightful aroma of strawberries and cream. The scalloped, light green leaves are perfect for adding a refreshing twist to fruit salads or iced tea.
Grapefruit Mint Indulge in a burst of citrus with grapefruit mint. The bright green leaves boast a refreshing grapefruit aroma that can be enjoyed fresh in salads or steeped in water for a flavourful iced tea.
Lemon Mint As the name suggests, lemon mint offers a bright, citrusy lemon aroma with a subtle minty background. The light green leaves are ideal for adding a refreshing twist to iced tea or using it in savoury dishes like fish or chicken.
Lime Mint Lime mint offers a vibrant burst of citrusy freshness reminiscent of freshly squeezed lime juice. Its aroma is refreshing, with notes of tangy lime complemented by the crisp, clean scent of mint. The combination of lime and mint creates a harmonious balance of flavours, making it a versatile herb for culinary creations and refreshing beverages.
Buddleia Mint A floral mint variety with fragrant purple flowers throughout summer resembles butterfly bushes, attracting pollinators to the garden. The Buddleia's mint flavour is more subtle than other mints, making it ideal for teas or salads where a delicate minty touch is desired.
Pineapple Mint Pineapple mint offers a unique combination of fruity sweetness and minty freshness. Its leaves exude a delightful aroma reminiscent of ripe pineapple, with underlying notes of traditional mint. When crushed or bruised, the leaves release their essential oils, filling the air with a refreshing fragrance that evokes images of sunny tropical paradises.
3. Minty Delights Beyond the Expected.
Chocolate Mint Indulge your sweet tooth with chocolate mint. The leaves boast a rich, chocolaty aroma that's perfect for adding a unique twist to desserts. This vigorous grower sports dark green, slightly crinkled leaves that can be enjoyed fresh in brownies or steeped in cream for a minty chocolate after-dinner drink.
Curly Mint As the name suggests, this visually stunning variety features frilled, lime-green leaves that add a whimsical touch to herb gardens and garnish platters. While the flavour is similar to spearmint, curly mint is milder, making it a good option for those who find spearmint overpowering.
Moroccan Mint A key ingredient in Moroccan tea, this mint variety offers a complex flavour profile with hints of spearmint and subtle floral notes. Its deep green, slightly fuzzy leaves are ideal for brewing authentic Moroccan mint tea, enjoyed hot or chilled.
Thai Mint Thai mint, known as Bae Saranae in its native Thailand, is a culinary delight cherished for its fruity with little menthol flavour and appearance (green leaves and striking red stems). This versatile herb is a staple in Thai cuisine, adding depth and freshness to a wide array of dishes.
Swiss Mint A close relative of peppermint, Swiss mint offers a robust, minty flavour with a hint of chocolate. The deep green leaves are ideal for after-dinner treats or for adding a refreshing kick to hot cocoa.
Tashkent Mint Hailing from Uzbekistan, Tashkent mint offers a unique flavour profile with hints of lemon, apple, and spearmint. The light green leaves are a conversation starter in any herb garden and can be used sparingly in salads or cocktails for a complex flavour experience.
4. Mint Varieties for the Adventurous Gardener.
Atlas Mountain Mint Hailing from Morocco, Atlas Mountain Mint offers a unique citrusy-spicy aroma with a hint of rosemary. The deep green leaves are ideal for stews and roasted vegetables, adding a depth of flavour, unlike other mints.
Black Peppermint Don't be fooled by the name – black peppermint offers a milder, sweeter flavour than traditional peppermint. The deep purple stems and dark green leaves add a dramatic touch to the herb garden, while the flavour is perfect for subtle minty additions to chocolates or cocktails.
Bowles Mint Bowles mint is a fast-growing variety with a robust and traditional spearmint flavour. The large, deep green leaves are ideal for various culinary uses, from classic mojitos to adding a minty zip to chutneys.
Spanish Mint A vigorous grower with a robust and traditional spearmint flavour, Spanish mint is ideal for a variety of culinary uses. The dark green leaves are perfect for everything from classic mojitos to adding a refreshing zip to chutneys.
5. Unique Mint Varieties.
Japanese Mint This vigorous grower offers a robust and mentholated flavour similar to peppermint. The deep green leaves are ideal for teas or adding a refreshing kick to after-dinner treats.
Jessica's Sweet Pear Mint A genuinely unique mint variety, Jessica's Sweet Pear Mint offers a delightful aroma of ripe pears alongside a subtle minty undertone. The light green leaves are perfect for adding a refreshing twist to fruit salads or cocktails.
Red Mint A stunning addition to the herb garden, red mint boasts vibrant red stems and deep green leaves. The flavour is similar to spearmint but slightly milder, making it a good choice for those who find spearmint overpowering.
Silver Mint Standing out with its silvery-grey foliage, silver mint offers a milder mint flavour than spearmint. The fuzzy, silver leaves add a unique textural element to herb gardens and are perfect for adding a subtle minty touch to salads or teas.
Eau de Cologne Mint Fresh and invigorating, the eau de cologne mint variety resembles cologne with subtle citrus and peppermint notes. Its compact growth habit makes it well-suited for containers. The leaves are ideal for flavouring drinks and sauces, adding a unique twist to cocktails or salad dressings.
6. Mint Varieties for a Vibrant Summer Garden. Summary.
The mint varieties described above will add freshness and excitement to your summer garden with their diverse flavours and characteristics. Whether you're a fan of classic spearmint or eager to explore exotic varieties like Japanese mint or Thai mint, there's something for every gardener to enjoy.
So, happy planting, and get ready to enjoy a world of refreshing minty delights.