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Catmint

Nepetaspp.

Lots of perennials bloom in mid-May, but come August, not many of those same plants are still blooming. Catmint, with a little help, blooms all summer long. But its longevity isn’t the only benefit.

All catmints are heat- and drought-tolerant. They’re also extremely pest-resistant, as well as very hardy. On top of that, they’re fragrant. Brush the foliage and you’ll get a pleasant herbal scent. And did you know that catmint flowers are popular with butterflies and hummingbirds, too?

ENJOY THE BLOOMS There’s a variety of flower colors, from the deep tones of ‘Six Hills Giant’ at left to soft pastel ‘Blue Ice’ in “Catmint Collection” at right. Add in the gray-green foliage and catmints make amenable neighbors for almost any perennial.

Once the blooms begin to decline, cut the stems back, almost to the ground. In a few weeks, they’ll be back, often a bit shorter, and blooming beautifully. You’ll have flowers well into late summer,