I know in other areas mint can be very invasive. Here, I can keep it in its place through watering. Where I do not water, it does not grow. I call it "water edging." Even with ample water, I must implore it to grow. This is my new mint. This one is called "Chocolate Mint," in honor of the famed peppermint patty confection. I think some dollar weed has emerged to keep it company. The juniper branches placed on the area to protect it did a good job, but the weeds, of course, saw their chance to grow, too.
The mint is disagreeing with the groundhog's assessment as to how long winter will last, and thinks it's safe to poke up its fragrant head and begin spring. It's clearly a foolhardy plant; brave, but unwise. It is the plant equivalent of a chihuahua.
I brushed my hand across the sprigs to gather their scent, then picked up my rosary. Now, I have it on the nightstand, and I can smell it from here.
The Superbowl is on in the other room, but I am watching another battle: Which will win, my newest cross stitch chart, or my ability to count properly? I have "frogged" so much it's like a rainforest in here. Usually, when I butt heads with a chart, I put that chart down and pick up another one for awhile, except when mulishness sets in. I want it done, and on display, starting tomorrow. This will be too long ago for most of you, but does anyone recall "Francis the Talking Mule?" Well, we have "Holly the Stitching Mule" now. But I am wanting a basket of spring-themed pinkeeps on my nature table, and I'm going to have it, by golly!
I grew Chocolate Mint one year and I was surprised that it didn't come through the winter. Last year I bought a Curly Mint. I should see soon whether it survived. The regular mint, possibly Spearmint, is very hardy and has to be kept in a pot on concrete or it sends roots through the drain holes and into the ground only to pop up all over the place.
ReplyDeleteI hope you mastered that cross stitch.
I vanquished the cross stitch! I love the smell of spearmint, but never had luck with it and it would just go kaput by midsummer. Maybe that's a good thing!
DeleteCross stitch is not for me! It is so difficult to see and count the threads. But I admire others work and love the beautiful result!
ReplyDeleteHope you manage with yours.
Wishing you a good week.
Thank you, Catherine. I have to wear a magnifier around my neck when I stitch, and I still have trouble. I'm glad I learned to cross stitch as a child of ten. Long ago!
DeleteI envy those that can do cross-stitch and have it all come out perfectly, looking professional. You will share when done, won't you?
ReplyDeleteWe've had some kind of mint show up at times as "weeds". lol
I will definitely take photos of the finished cross stitch. I am stuck on completing them as pinkeeps/tiny pillows lately. Once upon a time I framed them, but that was when I did more elaborate pieces. I planted "cat mint" last year for the cats, and it LOOKS weedy, all lanky and falling over after the cats stomp it and roll in it. It was in a 2-inch pot and I had no idea it would grow up to be so bushy yet sparse-looking. They love it or I'd yank it right out of there.
DeleteHello Holly,
ReplyDeleteWell, we have never mastered cross-stitch and now it is probably too late to try. However, in our gardening days, we could have provided mint for the whole county of Herefordshire in which we lived.
The common mint variety had to be imprisoned in a bucket. Any escape was dangerously overwhelming for any other plant which tried to invade its territory. Chocolate Mint, Purple Mint, Variegated Mint [which looked positively diseased as most variegated plants do in our opinion] and we are sure that there were others. Never mind the Royal Mint, we had as many varieties as we could find. It seemed fun at the time. Goodness knows why.
I have to laugh at your observation about variegated plants! And I wonder if I will look back on my mint patch attempts someday and just shake my head.
DeleteI do remember Francis the talking mule ah back in the day. Simple. I don't have any mint in the garden now, last year I did grow Mojito Mint for Mojito's. It had a fragrance which to me was more savory like Oregano and very subtle. Frogging...yes been doing that hear to, but I press on and I'll get that pattern right eventually. Have you ever heard of the scented geraniums? I thought I had a post about it but cannot find it. So these are not regular garden variety gernaiums, these are known for the scented leaves. I have one which is Lemon rose, they come in mint,chocolate, etc. Their fancy name is Pelargonium. Here is a link which shows all the different fragrances of this herb/flower. There is even a chocolate mint one. Very aromoatic..
ReplyDeleteI forgot the link
ReplyDeletehttps://www.taylorgreenhouses.com/pesge.html
I am going to try scented geraniums! I love unusual plants and fragrant plants, so scented geranium sounds perfect.
DeleteI was small and my mother introduced the mule to me. I organized my floss last night while watching the game still more to go but it is better than it was I want to get stitching again.
ReplyDeleteCathy
Oh dear you are certainly determined, hope you managed to master the chart. I have several varieties of mint that I like which are kept in tyres to try and contain them. Not always a success.
ReplyDeleteYour mint must smell so wonderful. I love mint teas and mint chocolate and mint cookies. My daughters also watched the Superbowl yesterday. They had lots of treats for the day.
ReplyDeleteHave a very nice week.
~Sheri
Ha ha....I love your equating mint to a chihuahua....I've known a few chihuahuas in my time...as well as mint plants...and the parallel is not unwarranted...both seem to keep coming back. ;-) I made the mistake of growing mint in my little flower hedge thinking it would be nice for mojitos in the summer.... I pulled it out for years and years. Wishing you luck with yours...and with your stitching! Frogging is something we all know better than we like, no matter how long or how much we have stitched. ~Robin~
ReplyDeleteI will never...and I repeat NEVER...plant anything ever again with the word mint in it. It took me years to be rid of it ~ I moved...lol!
ReplyDeleteHa ha! I did battle with trumpet vines. I could not get the upper hand and was also happy to move away from them!
DeleteMy daughters mint is so invasive, but I love to put it in my salads. I remember that mule. Good luck on your cross stitch. Janice
ReplyDeleteI’ve been keeping an eye on my mint too. So far so good. Good for you for sticking with it! Now I’m off to look up a talking mule 😂
ReplyDelete'Mint to Be'
ReplyDeleteVery good