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plant pick

‘Six Hills Giant’ catmint
Nepeta hybrid

As you begin to plan for flower color in your summer garden, you’d do well to include some catmint. The blooms of these hardy perennials come in shades of purple, blue, pink or white and are popular with butterflies and hummingbirds. All catmints are heat- and drought-tolerant, as well as extremely pest-resistant. On top of that they’re fragrant, too. Brush the foliage and you’ll get a pleasant herbal scent.

One of the most popular cultivars you’ll find is ‘Six Hills Giant’, with rich purple blooms and gray-green foliage. It’s more tolerant of damp conditions than other catmints and is also one of the longest-blooming members of this family. Leave enough room for this large perennial — it grows nearly 3 ft. tall and up to 4 ft. wide. Remove the faded flowers to encourage even more blooms and cut back the whole plant by one-third after the first flush of blooms has finished for a later rebloom.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 3 ft. tall, 3 to 4 ft. wide BLOOM Purple flowers from early to late summer LIGHT Full sun SOIL Well-drained, slightly alkaline PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 3 to 9, Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

tips for growing lavender

Harvesting fragrant stems of English lavender is a pleasurable garden task. Even the bees are slower and linger quietly on this glorious plant. Although it’s easy to grow English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) in dry climates, it’s a challenge in much of North America — the crowns tend to rot in the winter. Here’s a planting method that’s sure to give you success.

BRIGHT LIGHT, DRY FEET — To start, choose a spot in full sun and dig your planting hole about 8 in. deeper and 12 in. wider than the pot you’re planting. To make the soil a bit alkaline and encourage good drainage, place a layer of limestone gravel in the bottom of the planting hole. Then layer soil and turkey grit. Plant the rootball so the plant’s crown sticks up about an inch above the rest of the soil.

MULCH AND GIVE PLANTS SOME ROOM — After your plant is set, mulch with 2 in. of large granite turkey grit or white landscape stone. If you live near a farm supply store, look for turkey grit there. Otherwise, buy white landscaping stone at a garden center. The light-colored stone reflects the sun under the plant and allows stems to dry out quickly after rain or watering, which prevents rot. And stone, rather than organic mulch, promotes that all-important good drainage, also to prevent root rot. Another thing that can cause fungal problems is poor air circulation. Space plants 24 in. apart to prevent this.

ROOT WATCH — Young lavender plants are usually slow to take off, so it’s best to buy plants that have some root growth. When looking at plants in the nursery, carefully turn the pot over and gently tap it, allowing the plant to slip out of the container. If you can see a few roots poking out of the soil, you know the lavender is established and ready to jump up and grow.

WARM SOIL START — Wait to plant until late spring or early summer when soil temperatures are warm. It’s hard to be patient, but young plants are more likely to rot during a cold, wet spring. If you’ve been frustrated with this charming plant, give this method a try. You’ll soon be harvesting fragrant wands a few times each summer!