Mint

Mint is one of those plants that grows like crazy. Unless you want your entire garden to be mint, you need to take some precautions to contain the roots. It's pretty simple:  keep the mint in a pot and plant the whole thing in the ground. Keep some of the rim above the ground so the plant's runners don't try to sneak over the barrier.

To keep mint looking fresh, harvest the stem tips before it flowers. Other than that, keep the soil moist, and out of the hot sun.

There are several varieties of mints, including apple, pineapple, spearmint, orange, and my favorite, chocolate. Each one smells great!

If you want something a little different to do with your mint, try making ice cream. Here's a recipe:

6-8 cups fresh mint leaves, rinsed and air-dried

2 cups half-and-half cream

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Place the leaves in a small pot. Mix the half-and-half, whipping cream, sugar, and salt and pour over the mint. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently and pressing the leaves into the cream. Do not let the mixture boil. After about 10 - 15 minutes, cover and turn off the heat. Let it sit until cooled to room temperature. Stir in vanilla. Pour through a mesh strainer into a container, pressing down the leaves to extract as much liquid as you can. Chill for at least 8 hours. Then process in an ice cream maker by following the manufacturer's instructions.

Gatiss Gardens

Gatiss Gardens, located in Kalispell, Montana, is an English cottage-style garden which covers four acres. It was developed by the Gatiss family, and now is maintained by the Siblerud family. Visitors can meander along a mile-long trail and enjoy a wide assortment of colorful perennials.

The gardens are open daily from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Tizer Botanic Gardens

Tizer Botanic Gardens, located in Jefferson City, Montana, is Montana's only fully certified botanical garden and arboretum. It covers six acres and contains numerous gardens, including a rose garden, herb garden, wildflower walk, children's garden, and gazebo garden. There's also a vegetable garden which includes raspberry and strawberry patches. If you happen to visit in season, you may even get to sample some of those raspberries and strawberries.

The gardens are open from May through September from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Cost of admission for adults is $7.00, and children under five are admitted free.

Memorial Rose Garden

Memorial Rose Garden, located in Missoula Montana, is part of a small city park. It was begun in 1946, and now contains more than 2,500 rose bushes, which serve as a memorial to the casualties and veterans of America's twentieth century war conflicts.  In addition to the roses, the garden features a twelve foot bronze statue.

There is no cost to view the gardens. They are open from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

Memphis Botanic Garden

Memphis Botanic Garden, located in Memphis, Tennessee, covers ninety-six acres. Visitors can explore an arboretum with over one thousand trees, and twenty-nine specialty gardens. Included in these specialty gardens are an Asian Garden, Butterfly Garden, Desert Garden, Prehistoric Plant Trail, Sculpture Garden, and Water Garden Room.

 
The garden is open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Admission is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children.

Powell Gardens

Powell Gardens, located in Kingsville, Missouri has something for everybody. There's a 12 acre lake, water gardens, woodland plants, a wildflower meadow, and a hiking trail. Some other attractions to see are North America's longest living wall, the nation's largest edible landscape, known as the Heartland Harvest Garden, and a giant ant.

There are special exhibits, too, that change with the seasons, keeping visitors returning throughout the year.

 The gardens are open daily, year round. Hours are from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Cost of admission for adults is $10.00, and for children, $4.00.

Rousham House and Garden

Rousham House and Gardens, located in Oxfordshire, England, is a place of breathtaking landscape. It was laid out by the iconic designer, William Kent (1685-1748).  The Gothic style house, built in 1635, is still owned by the original family, and Kent's work remains as he designed it all those years ago.

The gardens cover about twenty-five acres, and include small temples and statues of Roman gods and mythical creatures. If you visit, wear comfortable walking shoes. Your wanderings will take you past a herd of longhorn cattle, to grottoes and pools, and onward to vast, open spaces. One path, known as the Watery Walk, follows a slim stone channel that curves downhill under beech and oak trees and leads to a beautiful view of the River Cherwell.

The gardens are open daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Children under fifteen are not allowed. (Neither are dogs.) Cost of admission to view the gardens is 5 pounds. Tours of the house must be arranged prior to visiting. The cost per person is 10 pounds, but you must come with a group. The minimum fee is 120 pounds.