E-STORE FEATURE PLANT "Dropmore" Catmint

 "Dropmore" Catmint 

(Nepeta × faassenii syn. mussinii)

A slightly larger version of Faassens Catmint, with bluer flowers. 

Mid sized at 70cm in flower, with a similar spread by Summer end. 

Not as lanky as "Six Hills Giant" !

Full sun in a drier part of the garden. 

Herbaceous perennial will die down to a leaf crown in Winter briefly. 

Prune back in Late Autumn.

Flowering in Mid Spring, but if spent flowers are pruned will flower

again in Autumn before dormancy. 

Available at our new e-store nursery

Winter Garden Perfume

Dutch Hyacinths

My garden has slipped into a highly scented place with Winter flowers coming into full bloom

Back in May I planted out the first Dutch Hyacinths we have had in the garden since moving here

A big brown paper bag of 100 bulbs picked up from Dave of Van Dieman Bulbs at the 

Launceston Horticulture Society Show in April before we closed for the Season.

The bulbs hadn't been forced (like those you would have seen at AgFest),

so are flowering naturally now

Fire King Wallflower

 Last year I grew hundreds of biennial wallflowers

we sold only a few so the rest went into my garden in May

After a few setbacks from the rabbits they are now big shrubs cover in perfumed scarlet flowers

and are one of the first flowers for Late Winter

Ruby Gem Wallflower

 I have a few special perennial wallflowers (the yellow one below)

which are now big enough to pick and bring into the house for vases

A scent so strong you only need the smallest quantity in a big vase mixed with 

Daffodils, Bluebells and Snowdrops and the very first cherry blossom pinched from town

where it is warmer and a bit further advanced into the Spring Season

 

Yellow Wallflower

Faassens Catmint

Faassen's Nepeta, Faassen's Catmint, Catmint
Nepeta × faassenii

 

Catmints are one of those delights of the Summer garden. 

Its delicate blue flowers and grey green leaves

belie the fact that these are pretty tough plants.

Faassen's Catmint, is a lower growing perennial flower (to about 60cm) 

compared to its cousin the "Six Hills Giant", 

so allows for a more compact growth and 

robustness against foot traffic and wind.

Delicate blue flowers appear through Summer 

and attract bees and butterflies in abundance.

After flowering prune back its spent floral spikes, 

and you will more then likely get a repeat flowering.

In Winter prune untidy Summer growth back 

to a small foliage clump (about 30cm wide).

Full sun is best, as Catmints have a tendency 

towards powdery/downy mildews if shaded. 

Free draining soils are also preferable 

to waterlogged soils, but periodic drying out 

doesn't set plants back too far, 

though its not desirable.