Bowles's Mint

Bowles's Mint is often cited by herbalists and gardeners as one of the best tasting of all the mints. A robust, hybrid perennial, it features large, rounded, grey-green leaves that are covered in soft, velvety hairs. It has a fantastic, clean spearmint flavour without any bitterness, making it the gold standard for mint sauce and for flavouring new potatoes. It can grow up to 1m tall and, like most mints, is a vigorous spreader via underground runners. In late summer, it produces attractive spikes of lilac flowers. It is very hardy (H7) and thrives in moist soil in either full sun or partial shade. To keep the plant healthy and prevent it from becoming woodier as the season progresses, it should be cut back hard mid-season to encourage a flush of fresh, tender foliage. In the UK, it is less susceptible to mint rust than some other species. To control its spread, it is best grown in a large, sunken container.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Moist, fertile soil.

Hardiness: H7 — below −20°C.

Flowering: Aug, Sep.