Ginger Mint (Available Sep)

Ginger Mint (Mentha × gracilis)

Bring a fresh and zesty twist to your herb garden with Ginger Mint. This aromatic perennial herb combines the citrusy brightness of spearmint with warm ginger undertones, making it a favourite for teas, desserts, and garnishes. Its green leaves are streaked with golden variegation, adding ornamental appeal as well as culinary value. Bees and other pollinators are irresistibly drawn to its clusters of lilac-pink flowers in summer.

Easy to grow and versatile, Ginger Mint thrives in moist but well-drained soils and will happily spread to form a lush groundcover if given space. It’s well-suited to pots and containers, where its roots can be contained, and enjoys a sunny or partially shaded spot. Regular picking encourages bushy growth and keeps the leaves at their most flavoursome.

Specifications:

• Height: 40–60cm

• Spread: 40–60cm (vigorous if not contained)

• Flowering: July to September

• Position: Full sun to partial shade

• Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained

• Maintenance: Harvest regularly; contain roots with pots or barriers to prevent unwanted spread

🌿 Note for Isle of Wight planting:

Ginger Mint enjoys the island’s mild, maritime climate and can be grown successfully in open borders or containers. It will thrive near a kitchen door for easy harvesting, but keep an eye on its spreading habit if planted directly in the ground.

🌿 Ideal Companion Plants from The Green Standard Range:

• Agastache ‘Liquorice White’ – tall spires of white flowers with a sweet anise scent, great for pollinators

• Cephalaria gigantea – statuesque and airy, providing height and contrast to Ginger Mint’s low habit

• Galega officinalis – soft lilac-blue flowers that draw bees and complement the mint’s golden leaves

🌟 The Green Standard Tip:

Plant Ginger Mint in a large terracotta pot sunk into the soil to enjoy its vigorous growth without worrying about it taking over your borders.