Reiki Druid's Herbal: Mint Glorious Mint

Corsican Mint Norfolk Herbs

Next year in my garden and in my allotment I intend to grow more mint plants , I hope to grow Corsican mint and Penny Royal as part of a"no grass lawn" outside my shed. I am going to divide the area into boxes about the size of a seed tray and growa mixture of mints, thyme, bellis, German chamomile, clover, and other low growing tough plants the area will only be three foot wide and six foot long.and should be able to be walked on and for Pops dog to lie on but digging is banned!

Nepeta Six Hills -Hooksgreen Garden

I am growing some of the plants in seed trays including penny royal..but other mints I will buy as plugs as most of the them are difficult to grow from seeds. I do grow cat mint and have visions of a beautiful border along my herb bed of this blue flowered mint. This has been a dream ever since I saw a clip of Pam Aryes sitting in her garden on a beautiful summers day along side a border of Nepeta in full flower.

I find Cat mint grow well from seed and I have enough to grow a border around my herbs beds in the garden. and bowls for the cats, It grows well through April, May into June it reaches perfection tall, flower buds forming and that is when Ray cat nibbles and bends it and rubs his head along it and rolls in it. Then Pop dog who has ignored it previously discovers it and eats it and snuggles down on top of it and I am left with stalks. Oh sigh, I grow it for them but I can dream! I have not grown it at the allotment as I do like the idea of the numerous cats or foxes rolling in ecstasy on my herb bed.

Black Peppermint Norfolk Herbs

I am also going to grow more varieties of mint, I use so much mint in cooking, salads and teas and want to increase the amount and types I grow. My black peppermint no longer looks lush and flourishing but a tiny plant with small leaves, as I have picked it so often for tea. The spearmint is also a frail shadow of it self and certainly has not become invasive. these two mints can be told apart by the fact that peppermint leaves have stalks and the leaves have a purplish tinge. Spearmint and Peppermint mint are my favourite mint plants and are used be me almost daily for tea, in cooking, salads, and with fruit. I have never found mint invasive as I pick it regularly and only reluctantly stop picking the leaves when the plants needs time to renew them selves

A new mint I am going grow next year is Moroccan Mint. It is one of the best spearmints and mixed with green rooibos tea is a lovely hot infusion or iced drink. A small amount of fresh peppermint adds a lovely zing to the tea. It also goes well with Chinese green teas such as the famous Gunpowder Green Tea which All about Tea mix into their blend of Tuareg Mint Tea this is really delicious.

Mints is used as herbal remedy for stomach aches, headaches, stress and anxiety.

" if only people knew how good the fresh green leaves of Peppermint are when bruised and laid on the aching part to cure nervous headaches ....There is a curious coldness about Peppermint; it diffuses warmth, yet with its strange numbness which is soothing."

Frances A. Bards well, The herb Garden

1911

Mint can also be crushed and be used to soothe insect bites. , Methol is made from Peppermint, I use it when I have a cold to clear my head, I infuse a few crystals of Menthol in hot water and breath in the steam.

The Japanese used Menthol two hundred or more years ago and carried it in sliver boxes hanging from their girdles.

Menthol is used in these all these product:

Menthol crystals are cooling, refreshing, and have a pleasantly strong minty aroma. They are often used in cosmetics, salves, balms, medicated creams, throat lozenges, toothpaste, mouthwash, gum, foot sprays, pain relief or cooling body products, shampoos, conditioners, liniments, shaving creams, oral or throat sprays, compresses, medicated oils, and cooling gels. Since Menthol crystals are so concentrated, only a very small amount is needed within products. When purchasing Menthol crystals remember that a good quality menthol crystal usually contains not less than 99.4% menthol.

Mountain Rose Herbs