Nepeta’s common name is Cat Mint and cat’s really do love it! Bees and other pollinators do too.
It has lovely lavender flowers with silvery foliage this herbaceous perennial is great for the front of borders where it can spill out over a path. It is low growing and spreading. Nepeta thrives in dry soil and full sun and dislikes wet soils and shade. Trim over once the first flush of flowers have finished to encourage more.
As it is a perennial it dies back in winter. Before it starts to regrow an up-turned hanging basket placed over the crown stops cats eating the new shoots or lying in it. The plant will soon grow up through the basket so it can’t be seen.
The most commonly grown varieties are; Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ and Nepeta racemosa ‘Walkers Low’. For a more compact and upright variety try Nepeta ‘Junior Walker’
