Everything and more about gardening in Shady's SE Iowa (USA) location.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
The Cat's Meow!
This is Catmint, Nepata. I cannot, at this time, tell you the variety. Without support (I use grow rings) the plant falls over. It has a huge spread and fills in a space just beautifully! One main reason I really like it - it's a butterfly magnet!
I caught this Giant Swallowtail perusing the catmit June 8, 2008.
(These last three photos enlarge nicely! Just click on them!)
Yup--I love it! I'm a nut for butterflies, especially swallowtails! And catmint?!! Cameron has already convinced me by one of her posts that I MUST plant some this spring!!! Just lovely:) Jan
Hi Shady....It is lovely and to bring in the butterflies is what I want in a plant! Great photo...Don't you feel good when you snap the photo with their wings open! I am going to try to use a small support ring...it flops in my yard, too! Thanks for the help! Have a good weekend....gail
I know this is a silly question but I thought I'd ask it anyhow. Do more cats come around if you have this plant in your garden? There are already a few stray cats around here, and I wouldn't want to attract any more.
Jan, You'll like this plant! Do your research so you get a plant to fit your spot. There are varieties that grow different heights, etc. :-)
Gail, I'm sure you understand the number of photos I took! He was a willing subject, also. ;-) I love that you can see the red spots on his underwings. I continually watch for good deals on the purchase of the grow rings! They're very handy! (I have a large one around Matrona and medium ones around other upright sedum.)
keeping my mind... that's why I published these photos!! It's supercold winter, here until the end of March (and then we often get a last spurt during the first part of April!). So glad you stopped, and you have to know I like your title too! ;-)
flydragon, This is NOT a silly question. Catmint is not the same as catnip. We don't have many cats out here, but I've never seen one drawn to the plant! Just butterflies and bugs (and me). ha.
LOVE catmint. I have some Walker's Low planted on the slope. I keep reading that I should cut it back after the first flush of bloom, but I can never decide when the first flush is finished! Mine gets pretty floppy, so I am going to try your suggestion of the grow ring this year. Excellent idea! Thanks, Shady!
The grow ring is an excellent idea. Love the photos Shady Gardener!!!! I need some of this wonderful plant again too (I had some in my previous garden but not in my current one. If I remember correctly, it brought in the bees as well as the butterflies??
J, I'm surprised Walker's Low is floppy, but the grow rings come in different sizes and heights. I'd be hard-pressed to know when the first flush of blooms ended, too... as it blooms all summer! ;-)
Kathleen, I think there may be a few bees, but it seems that 'Matrona' sedum is very attractive to honey bees in the fall. I've never seen a plant more loaded. (It's not scary, though. They don't seem to bother.)
MEOW! Not being catty, but "don't it make my brown eyes green?" (with envy!) Gorgeous clump and stunning swallowtail ~ I feel the stir of spring fever, as I view these visions!
Deb, I have so many photos (you'll soon understand the dilemma!) that I've never used... so it's fun to go back through them. (This is my "sunny bed," so it's a fun one for me!)
Thank you for visiting today. I don't mean to make it hard for you to leave a message, but temporarily I am going to enable word verification. Too many spam messages to deal with lately. Thanks for your patience! SG
Yup--I love it! I'm a nut for butterflies, especially swallowtails!
ReplyDeleteAnd catmint?!! Cameron has already convinced me by one of her posts that I MUST plant some this spring!!!
Just lovely:)
Jan
Hi Shady....It is lovely and to bring in the butterflies is what I want in a plant! Great photo...Don't you feel good when you snap the photo with their wings open! I am going to try to use a small support ring...it flops in my yard, too! Thanks for the help! Have a good weekend....gail
ReplyDeleteI love the pictures. It makes feel warm looking at it since it's so cold and wet here.
ReplyDeletePS Love the name of your blog!
I know this is a silly question but I thought I'd ask it anyhow. Do more cats come around if you have this plant in your garden? There are already a few stray cats around here, and I wouldn't want to attract any more.
ReplyDeleteJan, You'll like this plant! Do your research so you get a plant to fit your spot. There are varieties that grow different heights, etc. :-)
ReplyDeleteGail, I'm sure you understand the number of photos I took! He was a willing subject, also. ;-) I love that you can see the red spots on his underwings. I continually watch for good deals on the purchase of the grow rings!
They're very handy! (I have a large one around Matrona and medium ones around other upright sedum.)
keeping my mind... that's why I published these photos!! It's supercold winter, here until the end of March (and then we often get a last spurt during the first part of April!). So glad you stopped, and you have to know I like your title too! ;-)
flydragon, This is NOT a silly question. Catmint is not the same as catnip. We don't have many cats out here, but I've never seen one drawn to the plant! Just butterflies and bugs (and me). ha.
LOVE catmint. I have some Walker's Low planted on the slope. I keep reading that I should cut it back after the first flush of bloom, but I can never decide when the first flush is finished! Mine gets pretty floppy, so I am going to try your suggestion of the grow ring this year. Excellent idea! Thanks, Shady!
ReplyDeleteThe grow ring is an excellent idea. Love the photos Shady Gardener!!!! I need some of this wonderful plant again too (I had some in my previous garden but not in my current one. If I remember correctly, it brought in the bees as well as the butterflies??
ReplyDeleteJ, I'm surprised Walker's Low is floppy, but the grow rings come in different sizes and heights. I'd be hard-pressed to know when the first flush of blooms ended, too... as it blooms all summer! ;-)
ReplyDeleteKathleen, I think there may be a few bees, but it seems that 'Matrona' sedum is very attractive to honey bees in the fall. I've never seen a plant more loaded. (It's not scary, though. They don't seem to bother.)
MEOW! Not being catty, but "don't it make my brown eyes green?" (with envy!) Gorgeous clump and stunning swallowtail ~ I feel the stir of spring fever, as I view these visions!
ReplyDeleteDeb, I have so many photos (you'll soon understand the dilemma!) that I've never used... so it's fun to go back through them. (This is my "sunny bed," so it's a fun one for me!)
ReplyDelete