I love Nepeta aka catmint! It’s also a favorite of honey bees and other pollinators. It’s deer resistant too!
Below one of my ever-present fluffy Bumbles enjoys a tasty snack…
It is a beautiful plant to use in a border. Gertrude Jekyll wrote “it is a plant that can hardly be overpraised.”
I find catmint easier to grow than lavender. If you cut it back after first bloom, it will bloom again just as vigorously.
My favorite cultivar is Walker’s Low which was the 2007 Perennial of the Year. The name, Walker’s Low, does not refer to the size of the plant, but to a garden in England.
Plant some catmint this summer. Your buzzing friends will thank you!
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I used to have nepeta in my garden in Ct. Had forgotten all about it. How does it fare in southern climates, like NC, where I now live?
It should do wonderfully! I’m in a shady part of Ohio, and I started growing a lot of it because it doesn’t need as much sun as Russian Sage or Lavender but it tolerates heat and humidity well. It comes in a variety of colors too.
I used to live in Columbus and had a great flower garden..a wonderful climate for it! NC is more challenging to be sure. Thanks!
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And so do I!
🙂
Great photos, Deborah. Walker’s Low is a favorite of mine and definitely a bee favorite too!
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My Nepeta is just starting to bloom here – and I like it much better than Russian sage, Deb. I need to go check to see if the bees are enjoying it.
It grows wild here but I have never thought of putting it in the garden. It’s very pretty.