We just got back from there too!All need sun and will spread lots with rich soil.I love mint but it spreads everywhere.Have a thriving colony around a big oak where we mow and it is kept in bounds.And it does fine in dry shade too.I use it in tea,occasionally at bible school and have used it in jelly.Its nice to share with people who don't have it.Posy Pet

Last fall I mulched well around our lemon verbena and it has returned. Previously, I have replaced the plants each year. All mints spread over a wide area so we have to keep them in tubs or continually keep them within bounds. We use them along the underside of the deck or around water faucets. All of these are good for teas or cooking or to use as fragrance in sachets or rice pillows. For cooking, brew the herb to extract the flavor and use it as part of the liquid as alternative to usind dried or chopped leaves.EP

Yeah.. Lemon Verbena is very tender plant. It is hardy zone 9-10. I had to bring them back indoor for winter. It is my favorite herb. It is fun to bake the Lemon cake. It is easy to lay the leaves, rib side up, in the bottom of bundt pan. Then pour the lemon mixture carefully in the batter to hold them in place. It was so delcious. It was so neat to see lemon verbena leaves on top of the cake. It grows tall about two to three feet tall in a season. Likes grow in full sun and very warm. Grows rapidly and easily grow! Enjoy it!! Kat

Thanks, I will be planting tomorrow. I can't wait to try some of them. They smell so good!
Tammy

I planted lemon balm this in honor of my sister, Melissa (botanical name is Melissa officinalis). The flavor is similar to lemon verbena, but the plant doesn't spread quite as much. Unlike lemon verbena, lemon balm can take a bit of shade and is hardy to Z4.

Try using lemon verbena or lemon balm in savory dishes, too. It's great snipped up in salads (sparingly) or steeped in vinegar to make salad dressings, marinades, etc. One Food Network chef steeps it in coffee, which makes me think it would be great in iced tea.

As for the mints, I'm thinking that either the chocolate or pineapple would be great ground with other favorite spices and rubbed over lamb or pork roast before grilling, as well as in fresh summer fruit salads!