At the risk of bringing all the cats to the yard, I planted one Catmint ‘Summer Magic’ on an extra dry strip of our south-facing easement. With this and one other catmint I purchased at Dennis’ 7 Dees in June, I begin my first foray into the world of nepeta. I’d been hesitant to purchase catmint in the past due to rumors of their fast-growing, invasive natures.

But given that wild clover has already gone bonkers in the easement this year, I’m throwing caution to the wind (and possibly a few nepeta seeds as well). Actually, I can’t seem to find sources that tell me if this cultivar will set seed, so I’m guessing it doesn’t. But I will report back in the coming years – stay tuned for SOS calls of feline invasion.

A bit about this selection: Nepeta grandiflora ‘Summer Magic’ is a water-wise perennial that grows up to 2 feet tall and wide. True to its name, Summer Magic boasts fragrant, blue-purple flowers that bloom from summer to fall and is a good choice for attracting pollinators to the garden. Like all catmints, it is also drought-tolerant and easy to care for. One source says this cultivar doesn’t attract cats, but we’ll find out if there’s any truth to that.