Mentha arvensis 'Banana'

These days, mint is used mostly as a culinary herb, adding a fresh, summery flavour to salads, sauces, summer dishes and drinks. It's easy to grow and, being perennial, comes back every year. There are many varieties to choose from, each with a distinctive flavour. Best grown in pots in a sunny spot, it's a good idea to grow at least a couple of mint varieties in order to add variety and interest to dishes.

Banana mint, Mentha arvensis, is a low-growing mint with bright green, small leaves with a wonderful scent and taste of banana. Plants produce clusters of small, lilac flowers in summer, which are particularly attractive to pollinators.

Sow seeds indoors or under glass, from spring to early summer. When all risk of frost has passed, harden the plants off by gradually acclimatising them to outdoor conditions, and plant them out in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. If grown in the right spot, the plants will last for several years.