Mint seeds: true mints and herbs with a fresh minty fragrance
Mint is known and loved for its distinctive cool, refreshing fragrance. In this category you’ll find seeds for true mint species and also for other herbs with a similar fresh minty or menthol smell and flavour. There’s a huge variety to choose from here – for teas, cooking, scented gardens and herb gardens.
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Botanically speaking, true mints belong to the Mentha genus. Peppermint, with its punchy menthol aroma, is probably the best known, but the mint world covers a much broader spectrum: depending on the species and variety, mints can be fresh, sweet, sharp, herbal, lemony or fruity. Many have traditionally been used for teas, cold drinks, desserts, salads, sauces and Asian cooking.
Alongside the true mints there are some plants that don’t belong to the Mentha genus but still have a distinctly minty fragrance. Plants like catmint, for example, or Mexican giant hyssop, Greek mountain tea, lemon balm and some kinds of sage. They might not always deliver the classic menthol hit of a true mint, but they do have a fresh, aromatic and often pleasantly cool, herby perfume.
Mint and mint-like herbs are incredibly versatile in cooking. Fresh leaves are great for teas, iced teas, lemonades, yogurt, desserts, fruit, cucumber, couscous, herb sauces and savoury dishes. Some species are intensely flavoured, so should be used sparingly – others are milder and work well in mild tea blends.
Mints and their related fragrant herbs have plenty to offer in the garden, too. Many belong to the Lamiaceae family and are valuable plants for bees, bumblebees and other pollinators. Catmint, Mexican giant hyssop and sage also offer long flowering periods, aromatic foliage and attractive structure for beds and borders.
For gardeners it’s important to remember that not all plants with a mint fragrance grow like true mints. Some species produce vigorous runners, others grow in clumps or tussocks; some are perennial, others tend to be short-lived or warmth-loving. So this category encompasses a range of aromatic herbs connected by their fresh fragrance and flavour – but each with their own individual needs and preferences.
- Seeds for true mints and herbs with a mint-like fragrance
- Fresh herbs for teas, cooking and fragrance with menthol, herby and citrus notes
- Versatile plants for herb gardens, pots, balconies, scented gardens and natural plantings
With seeds for mints and minty-smelling herbs you’re growing plants that will bring a special zing of fresh flavour and fragrance to your garden and your cooking.
