Water or Bog Mint (Mentha aquatica): This aggressive mint is ideal for growing along the margins of water gardens, though care must be taken that it doesnÂt become troublesome. The Bog Mint grows to a height of up to 1 metre. It produces pairs of very fragrant, elliptic-shaped, serrated leaves that are usually tinted with purple and shaded with even more purple on their undersides. The leaves grow from reddish coloured stems. In the summer, whorls of lilac coloured flowers grow at the stem tips.

Harvesting: Harvest the leaves as the plant comes into flower and can be dry for later use.

Culinary Uses: The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. They have a strong distinctive peppermint-like fragrance. They can be used as a flavouring in salads or cooked foods, but are too pungent for most people to use as a flavouring.

Medicinal Uses: A tea made from the leaves has traditionally been used in the treatment of fevers, headaches, digestive disorders and various minor ailments. It is also used as a mouth-wash and a gargle for treating sore throats, ulcers, bad breath.

Pomme - you must have been reading my mind. I was staring at my M aquatica yesterday pondering exactly the same thing. And Daisy - thanks for answering a question I never even had to ask! By the way it was very easy to grow from fresh seed gathered along the local river. I now have it in my garden pond.

Sorry i could not respond. I was having trouble connecting to the site. Bu I wanted to thank you all. flora UK; you were able to get seed? They grew?

Yes. It grows along the banks of local rivers and the canal. I just collected some gone over flower heads, shook out the seeds and sowed then straight away in a tray (flat) of homemade compost. I left that outdoors all winter and ignored it. They came up in the spring and then I transplanted clumps of seedlings around my little pond (in the shallow muddy bit at the edge.) Can't claim any credit for skill.