Nepeta

Aromatic plants with flowers in along their stems. The leaves are often felted and soft. Most love sun and tolerate drought. All are hardy, but dislike waterlogged ground in winter.

Propagate named varieties by cuttings. Species by propagated by seed. The bushy types respond well to mounding in winter - mound peat or potting compost around the stems in winter, new shoots will root into this and can easily be cut off from the main plant with roots attached and potted on to establish.

A member of the Lamiaceae family (Dead Nettles).

Nepeta Blue Dragon

Lovely, large, blue flowers spotted on their insides on upright plants about 1ft 6in - 2ft tall. Flowers throughout the summer. I've been growing it in a spot that only gets direct sun in the early morning and its performed very well for me.

Price £6.00 (9cm pot)

Nepeta Dawn To Dusk

Bushy, fairly upright sub-shrub with grey-green foliage and racemes of pink flowers through the summer. About 2ft / 60cm tall. Cut back after first flowers fade to keep it bushy. Sun or light shade. Well-drained. Does NOT attract cats!

Nepeta Six Hills Giant

Arching stems smothered in lilac blue flowers and bees. Aromatic grey-green leaves. Height about 2ft 6in / 75cm, spread about 3ft / 90cm unless pinched out, when it makes a bushier plant.

Perfect Partners: Nepeta Six Hills Giant in our garden with Euphorbia x.pasteurii and Stipa gigantea in June

Nepeta subsessilis

Another unusual Nepeta that makes a great border plant with large heads of blue flowers in early summer (repeating later if cut back). About 2ft / 60cm tall. Sun or dappled shade. The leaves will tan in strong sun.

The common name is Japanese Catmint although the leaves do not smell of catmint and are only very slightly aromatic.