Derby Day Mint

Mint in the garden can be a menace. The roots travel and spread underground to areas designated for other plants. The intentional planting in my garden is partially in check due to our heavy red clay soil. I keep my eyes open for wayward roots and periodically tug them up from adjacent pathways.
Mint in my garden is a memento from my grandfather's garden. He had a mass planting beside the house where little else would grow. I gladly inherited a small sprig that eventually grew and spread to fill in a void in my garden. The lightest brush against the foliage is rewarded with delightful mint fragrance. If you would like to have fresh mint but are leary of its behavior, try growing it in containers.
CNN reports 4,000 pounds of mint will be used to serve 127, 000 Mint Juleps during the 143rd Kentucky Derby. ( http://www.cnn.com/…/cocktail-history-mint-julep-kentucky-…/) A few refreshing sprigs from your garden are all that you will need to enjoy mint tea, julep, or mojito on Derby Day.

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