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Ever since ‘Walker’s Low’ was named Perennial Plant of the Year back in 2007, “catmint” has become increasingly popular as a sturdy, low-maintenance ornamental.We grow 8 varieties of this interesting genus. Our latest addition: ‘Purrsian Blue’.  This Midwestern-bred variety forms neatly mounded clumps of tiny, toothy, aromatic leaves. The foliage is all but hidden by the prolific bloom of periwinkle blue flowers with dark purple calyxes, produced in abundance from early summer into early

The word “Low” does not describe the height of this lovely, fragrant perennial. It stands 2½ – 3’, which makes it a good fit mid-border, or even back-of-the-border in smaller settings. It brings a cheerful, informal look to plantings of any size. Rather, the name honors the owner of the Irish garden where ‘Walker’s Low’ originated – where its soft mounds of gray-green foliage and loose spikes of lavender-blue flowers, from late spring well into summer, were first appreciated. ‘Walker’s

Geography Lessons in the GardenA good mixed perennial garden can be a trip around the world – or at least across a continent or two. Today’s tour involves a plant whose name sounds deceptively like a land it did NOT come from. Nepeta kubanica Neptune (‘Bokratune’ PP29556)Is that a funky way to spell Cuba, land of cigars and Castro? Nyet! The specific epithet refers to “big-leaf catmint’s” ancestral home on the Kuban Peninsula in Southern Russia, on the Black Sea. This particular beauty was bred

Many gardeners believe their earthly creation is a little piece of heaven, and we wouldn’t dream of arguing with them. Why not take things a step farther and offer them some of our favorite “heavenly” cultivars? Nepeta Neptune (‘Bokratune’ PP29556) “Catmint” Aside from phonics, the Roman god of the sea isn’t exactly a natural fit for a plant famous for attracting cats, who are famously averse to getting wet. But when you see the sky blue flowers floating above a sea of blue-green foli