Mentha spicata This well known perennial herb has bright hairless leaves with long spikes of lilac flowers. Mentha spicata, spearmint or garden mint can be used to make mint sauce, it adds flavour to vegetables like potatoes and peas and is also good in fruit salads, tea and cocktails! Mint can spread indefinitely so be careful where you plant it. The purple flowers are very attractive to bees. Site: Best in a sheltered spotSoil: Any moist, but not waterloggedPosition: Full sun to full shadeSeason of Interest: SummerHardiness: Hardy Height: 24in (0.6m) Spread: 3ft (1m) +