Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family. However its leaves have a lemon flavour. The leaves are slightly hairy which gives a mouth feel which is not to everyone’s taste, but if it is chopped small, it can be added to salads for a bit of zing. It also makes a lovely herbal tea; just infuse some fresh leaves in boiling water. The leaves tend to lose their flavour if dried or if cooked.

While lemon balm prefers a sunny location, it is fairly tolerant of shade. It grows into a bushy plant about 70cm tall and 40cm wide, dying back in winter. It self seeds very readily , so you can find new plants spreading around the garden which you could leave, dig up and give to friends or compost.