When you think of the fragrances of the holiday season, several come to mind: the crisp aroma of pine, the homey smell of cinnamon, and the bright smell of peppermint. I use the word "bright" because peppermint is as cool and fresh and clear as breathing in frosty air on a sunny winter's day.
Perhaps you might have peppermint or spearmint in your garden. It's a very hardy (read: invasive!) herb that can easily take over a corner of the garden if you don't have a sturdy shovel to keep it under control.
Mint originally calls Europe home, but can be found anywhere. It is a perennial, a cross between spearmint and watermint, and likes moist soil and partly shady to shady conditions. Don't let that fool you, however: mint can spread into any corner of your garden regardless of the soil conditions there. It sends out thick, strong rhizomes that have hair-like roots on them, and they are tough and determined! I remember Mom had a mint patch in her garden; it commandeered one shady corner. Deciding it was too much, Mom chopped most of it out, and the remaining bit that was left she transplanted in a sunken pail that had the bottom cut out so that the roots would be contained. A year or two later, she was going to move the whole clump of mint, and when she dug up the pail and pulled mint out, the roots went round and round like a large, thick ring of rope. It's a lovely plant to include in your herb garden, but be prepared to put up a fight to show it who's the boss!
We used the fresh mint leaves with fruit, and dried some for tea. When I catch a whiff of peppermint tea now, I can still see Mom and me sitting in her cozy kitchen, sharing a cup of tea and catching up on the news of the day. When I was doing my mint homework, I read that the scent of peppermint can assist memory, so it's no wonder that the fragrance brings back many memories to us.
Have you ever wondered why mints are such a popular after-dinner confection? I learned that the flavor of mint soothes the stomach muscles, helps the flow of bile, and in a round-about way helps the food pass through our tummies more quickly. Over many years, mint has also been used in a multitude of medicinal ways, including treating headaches, nausea, cramps, and the common cold.
So give mint a try: it is indeed a lovely luxury to be able to pick your own mint sprigs to garnish a bowl of berries or add to a salad; just be sure to keep a watchful eye on it. If you are planting it in a pot on your deck or balcony, perfect! You can just enjoy it without having to worry about anything else. There's no reason we can't plan for next year: in just a short time, the days will be starting to get longer, so we can always look forward to spring!
The Yorkton and District Horticultural Society has already got the coming year planned out, with speakers and project that we know you will enjoy. We hope that you will join us; meetings are the third Wednesday of the month, and take place at the Sunshine Room in SIGN on North Street. Our next meeting will be February 15, 2012.
Have a great week, and here's a holiday gift idea for your gardening friends: a package of mint tea and a pair of gardening gloves! They'll get the idea for next spring!
