I'm going to be making some new beds along the sides of a walkway. I plan to put an arbor with climbing roses across the walkway, and then to line the edges of the walkway with catmint, and then have other perennials and/or roses behind the catmint. Do you guys have a favorite? I don't want one that's too tall (3 feet would be the highest that I would want to go), and I want one that will bloom for a long time. Any suggestions?
Thanks experts!
--pam
Best Catmint?
Well, here's my thoughts
'Little Titch' is the shortest that is available commercially- it tops out around 10-12 inches.
'Dropmore' has a more upright habit
'Walker's Low' is the standard (by sales figures and name recognition at least)- it mounds nicely
There is a catmint called Nepeta yunnanensis that has larger leaves and the flowers are more of a spire, but I don't know the height offhand.
'Blue Wonder' has great colour in the flowers, but again- I'm not sure of the ultimate height.
In my experience, all of the commercially available catmints can have height and sprwal controlled by an early summer haircut, and they all flower prolifically.
If you want something shorter, maybe Calamintha is an option? Perovskia 'Little Spire' would also look lovely in front of climbing roses.
I have 'Blue Wonder' and it stays very short--I'd say mine is about 6" tall. I do live in a dry area and don't water my garden a ton, and I shear it back after it blooms so both of those things probably help keep the height a bit shorter than it might be in someone else's garden. But Plant Files lists it as 6-18" and Bluestone lists it as 12" so it should stay fairly short.
I loved my Walker's Low..but so did all the cats and kept laying in it. Now they will attract bees. So that maybe something to think about along a walkway.
Two of my favorites don't have blue flowers. Nepeta 'Dawn to Dusk' is light pink and nepeta 'Snowflake' is of course white. Snowflake is very low growing - less than 8", 'Dawn to Dusk' grows about same size as 'Walker's Low'
I absolutely agree with Franzone. I have had Dawn to Dusk and Snowflake for years, and they are both fantastic, and uncommon. I have a third that is great, Souvenir Andre Chaudron. I use Dawn to Dusk to accompany my roses. Please see it above with Morden Blush.
Donna
I thought I read somewhere there is a variety that does not tend to develop the dead center. Does anyone know what that might be?
I love catmint but it does sort of die out in the center and then start looking messy.
I have several different kinds and I have never had it die out in the center. However, what does happen to me is a big clump can splay out leaving the center part rather bare looking. To prevent this sprawl all I do is cut if back by 1/3 to 1/2 in mid to late May. This will keep the clump compact and will delay flowering by a couple of week.
I've had Dawn to Dusk for several years and it does not appear to die out in the center, but if it did so I would have a failsafe. It tends to form little clumplets near the main plant. I dig them up, pot them for a few days and then move them to other locations. I bought six plants from Bluestone and was able to move so many clumplets that I use it as an edging plant - I must have 20. So if they did start to die out I would certainly have plenty of replacements.
I haven't noticed that it attracts bees (I'm allergic to their sting). An occasional bumblebee, but they are not aggressive. Snowfkake blooms much earlier, but it really needs deadheading because the whiteness of the flowers makes it clear when the bloom are fading. It is also less dense, and seeds less. And it blooms quite early - mine has been in bloom for weeks.
You know it's funny. A neighbor asked why I have blooms from April to November, or later, in our zone. I told her: verbena, nepeta, salvia. Here's Snowflake.
Hi, we crossposted. I agree. I realize that we have very similar tastes.
Donna
I have Walker's Low in a pot outside my gate. It is in a hot dry area and always looks great. I cut it down every winter. I have had it several years and never had cats bother it or a dead center.