Vilardi Gardens, vilardigardens.com

Suzanne Vilardi grows mint varieties and sells them at farmers markets and nurseries Valley-wide.

Suzanne’s advice: There are so many mint varieties out there and everyone has their favorite. My favorite is Moroccan mint and when recipes call for culinary mint, such as tabbouleh, kefka or lamb dishes, it is my first choice. I love the smooth dark leaves that mince easily without bruising and the clean fragrance. Moroccan mint is also the mint used in the strong, sweet tea served at the end of a typical Moroccan meal.

The other mint I always keep on hand is Mojito mint. I always thought it was a version of spearmint, but learned it is a completely different type of mint unique to Cuba. These big, fuzzy leaves impart a unique citrusy flavor to mojito cocktails, completely different than spearmint, and I can’t make a mojito without it, so to avoid that tragedy I always have some growing.