Catmint

Catmint, or Nepeta, is a lovely perennial - scruffy, scented, much loved by cats and gardeners. It’s easy to propagate and equally easy to rip out if you get sick of it. And if you remember to trim it back you’ll get a second flowering.

Nepeta Flowering

Catmint is easy to propagate, easy to trim, and equally easy to rip out if you get sick of it. It does flower well in autumn if it's been trimmed back.

Nepeta Six Hills Giant in the Border

Nepeta Six Hills Giant

I also grow a larger form of Catmint called Nepeta Six Hills Giant, which fills up spaces between the rugosa roses at the back of the glass-house. I like this variety very much - its tall flower heads mingle with the rose canes, but it doesn’t cause too much shade.

I often make cuttings of this variety to use in new gardens if I want feathery bulk. And if I remember to crawl into the undergrowth and trim it back in late summer it re-flowers for me.

Catmint for Cats

Of course I can't talk about growing catmint without mentioning the Moosey cats!

All the cats love to lie in the low growing catmint which I grow around the house patios, completely surrounded by its tantalising smells. They all build comfortable looking cat-nests to sleep in during the warm summer months.

Catmint Close-Up

Looking at the blue flowers close-up you can see delightful patterns of differing colours - the strong blueness of flowering cat-mint is just beautiful.