Catmint

I'm not talkin' about these gorgeous Catmint bushes . I'm talking about the lazy kitties who are snoozing underneath them most every afternoon. I generally flush out one slacker while I'm sprinkling the flower beds, but three! Now that's a productive afternoon.



Catmint , part of the Nepeta family, is a mellower form of catnip. Cats dearly love the fragrance. They brush their noses against it, love to sleep underneath the taller bushes. Warning: some cats will maul a particularly fragrant bush. Thoughtless cats (like Pete) will sleep on top of smaller bushes, flattening all the blooms.





So, keep the cats indoors and invest in a catmint plant or two. My Six Hills Giant Catmint (pictured at top) is into it's 3rd summer and hitting it's stride. These glorious blooms stretch 5 feet in width, 3 feet high ~ they are without a doubt a gardener's very best friend. Reliable, drought-tolerant, long-blooming, blah, blah, blah. I love them b ecause they weed themselves. Heavy bushes drape over the weeds shielding them from sunlight so weeds can't grow.



* Ideal for hot, windy spots where blue and purple flower spikes can wave in the breeze.

Two blooming in my garden:

• Walkers Low - More manageable size
  
  
• Six Hills Giant - XXL
• Rufus -->
  
  

PS: I'm NOT some crazy lady with 40 cats. I'm just babysitting more cats than I'd care to right now. They hate each other but they love the catmint...!