Mint!

My friends Jennie and Will have a lovely garden in the back of their semi-detached Victorian in Jersey City.  It's lush and there's plenty of room to grow lots of lovely things, unlike my tiny plot.  We did a swap last week: some of their mint for a couple of my perilla.  As I was digging my guys up I thought of an impoverished mother giving her kids to a rich couple who would be able to give them a better life.  "You'll have a chance in Jersey City... sniffle... there's better soil and more sun... sniffle..."  Actually, it wasn't that sad but I did think my two perilla were going to a better environment, where J&W have other edible goodies growing.

I planted the generous tangle of mint in its own winebox where I could contain its out-of-controlness - mint has a tendency to do that.  I mixed the soil with a little poo water (by now fermenting in the plastic container I left outside - the stench was unbearable let me tell you) first.

If you run your hand over the top, even the gentlest graze will release a cool minty fragrance.  It makes me want to brush my teeth again.