–adjective
1. lasting for an indefinitely long time; enduring: her perennial beauty.
2. (of plants) having a life cycle lasting more than two years.
3. lasting or continuing throughout the entire year, as a stream.
4. perpetual; everlasting; continuing; recurrent.
–noun
5. a perennial plant: Daffodils and tulips are perennials.
6. something that is continuing or recurrent.
About 4 years ago I got this really brilliant idea to plant mint in a remote corner of my yard. I planted it so that it had some room to spread but it was cornered by cement on two sides. For any garden novices, mint spreads by underground roots, is very aggressive and it is a tough perennial. It is a barracuda plant! It is not deterred by bad soil, cold winters or even sporadic drought . . . natural or the forgetful gardener kind.
All was well for a couple of years and then I realized that my darling mint was trying to creep (invade) into the neighbor's yard by traveling under the hefty cement mow strip along the fence line. I wanted to stay friends in the neighborhood so I undertook killing the mint. It was an amazing project. Let's just say the mint had taken root! I sprayed and ripped and dug! It took another season to conquer the mint.
But I love mint and I want it in the summer. So as I was ripping out what the Roundup didn't kill I threw some in a pot close to the kitchen. It thrived all summer and was close at hand when I wanted lime-honey-ginger-mint on my fresh pineapple.
When frost came I put it next to the house for protection. Now from where I sit at my kitchen table this is what I see.
Even mint does not survive in a pot in the winter. Every time I look at it, I think, "There is a lesson there." I know what my lesson is. You'll have to think about yours. All lessons aside, I'm not letting the 'mint out of the pot' again so I can't wait to find some in the spring for my pot and I cannot wait to go running outside again in the Spring!
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