Nepeta 'Picture Purrfect'

Nepeta 'Picture Purrfect': Early Blue Blooms, Then an Encore

'Picture Purrfect' never has a bad angle. Fragrant periwinkle-purple spikes over a broad, tidy mound, with rosy calyxes keeping the colour going between flushes. EVERY PHOTO IS THE GOOD ONE.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Nepeta hybrid
• Common Name: Catmint
• Height: 25–30 cm (10–12 in)
• Spread: 55–60 cm (22–24 in)
• Flowers: Fragrant periwinkle-purple spikes held in rosy-purple calyces, which keep the colour going between flushes
• Bloom Time: Early summer to early fall (June to September)
• Foliage: Small, aromatic, grey-green leaves in a broad, tidy mound

Where to Plant: This is a front-of-the-border plant: use it to edge a walkway, soften the corner of a patio or fill gaps in a sunny rock garden. Its wide, low habit makes a short hedge of colour in front of taller plantings, and it works as a filler in large containers.

Companion Plants: Give 'Picture Purrfect' a sunny, dry bed with blue false indigo, a red rosette edge and fall sedum. Sempervivum 'Red Beauty' tucks in at the front at 8 to 10 cm with deep pink flowers in summer. Baptisia australis adds indigo-blue spikes at 90 to 120 cm in May and June. Sedum 'Autumn Fire' brings pink to rust heads at 45 to 60 cm from August to October. Panicum Prairie Winds® 'Cheyenne Sky' adds blades that turn wine red by midsummer.

Plant Care: Plant it in full sun in average to lean, well-drained soil. Rich soil only makes catmint floppy. Water regularly through the first season. After that, it copes well with dry spells. The one thing it dislikes is wet, heavy soil in winter, so loosen clay with some grit or compost, or plant it on a slight rise. When the first big flush fades, shear the plant back by about a third to a half. Fresh growth and a second round of flowers follow. Leave the stems standing over winter and cut them back in early spring once new growth starts at the base. Divide in spring every few years if the clump starts to look tired in the centre.

History: 'Picture Purrfect' was bred by Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens in Michigan from a 2015 self-pollination of one of his unreleased catmint hybrids. In trials it began flowering about two weeks earlier than many catmints and reliably rebloomed after its first flush.

Final Thoughts: Drought tolerant once settled and ignored by deer. Plant it where the family photo happens. FINALLY, SOMEBODY IN THE PICTURE IS SMILING.