Catmint: The Cottage Garden Essential

I can’t imagine a cottage garden without catmint.

anna marie tang

Catmint: The Cottage Garden Essential. May 19, 2026.

In every house we have lived in, there is one plant always put in the garden, and that plant is catmint. And no, I don’t mean catnip. Catnip is a scraggly-looking affair whose not-so-pleasant camphorous scent appeals greatly to your kitty cat. Catmint is its milder, well-behaved cousin with its very put-together appearance of mounded, shapely foliage. It also doesn’t spread uninvited throughout the whole garden in a weed-like fashion, unlike its wilder cousin. Catmint was first hybridized not quite a century ago by a Dutch nurseryman, J.H. Faassen, whose contribution, Nepeta × faassenii, has been a welcome addition to the cottage garden ever since, with its lavender-like appearance.

Over time, other cultivars, such as the well-known Walker’s Low, have shown up. The front of our house currently boasts a long hedge of Walker’s Low, bursting with tall purple-blue-flowered sprays that gently bend in various directions under the weight of their numerous flowers. All day long, the low buzzing hum of bees hovers over the catmint hedge as they bounce along from one flower to the next. Sometimes a butterfly will stop and pay a visit, or even a hummingbird makes a brief stop to sip its nectar. Catmint is a hive of activity.

Benefits of Catmint

Catmint will keep color in the garden for much of the growing season with very little effort or resources. And after the flowers of long-blooming spikes are spent, I trim off the spikes. However, the plant is not done yet. After its trim, it will grow another round of its delightful periwinkle flowers to enjoy for the remainder of the season.

Not a complainer, this hardy plant is very adaptable. Once established, a weekly watering will suffice. It will grow nicely in different soil types and even thrive in poor soil. It is accommodating of some shade. I have planted it successfully in so many places! Use it as a border, a companion plant, or just to fill in spots with color. The hardiness of this beautiful perennial is one of its finest characteristics.

Making itself useful, catmint will help the gardener by deterring various garden pests, something I learned at our last home by the river. While the river is a lovely backdrop to a garden, it also brings the gardener a legion of slugs. However, catmint is a stalwart soldier, and once a border of it was established, our lettuce was safe from the mucousy enemies. Additionally, since the plant is a mint, it will also repel those nasty aphids, which is why I have it planted near my old garden rose collection.

If you are going to add any plant to your cottage garden, it should be catmint for all the benefits it offers. Catmint is a very hardy, low-maintenance perennial that adds abundant character to your cottage garden. It is a garden workhorse and is one of my most recommended plants to add not only to help fill the garden but also for the benefits it brings to the garden.

Plant Profile: Catmint

Description: A garden workhorse, this floral-laden mint is a must for a cottage garden due to its relaxed beauty and very amiable garden personality. Its scent isn’t noteworthy or even pretty, but its benefits make it a wonderful garden staple.

Type: Perennial

Botanical Name: Nepeta × faassenii

Common Name: Catmint

Family:  Lamiaceae

Garden Zone: 3-9

Soil Preference: loam, sandy, chalk. Catmint will thrive in poor soil.

Light Needs: Full sun. Catmint will tolerate some shade, but it just won’t grow as large.

Water Needs: Weekly. Very drought-tolerant.

Height/Width: Up to 3 ft tall and 3 ft wide

When to Plant: Spring or Fall is best

How to Plant: Dig a hole twice as big as your root ball.

Blooming Period: Spring to Fall

Propagating: Division; when very happy, it will self-seed.

When to Harvest: N/A

Maintenance: Very little.

Companion Plants: roses, peonies, sweet rocket, Canterbury bells, phlox, and hollyhock.

Uses: Natural pest control for various critters, including deer, rabbits, and insects, in the vegetable and flower gardens. Makes a lovely border plant that attracts lots of bees.

Personal notes: Catmint can flop in the middle if it gets too heavy or the soil is too rich/fertilized.

Helpful Links:

• Check what your garden zone is here.
• Check your frost dates here.
• Printable plant profile page (blank)

Favorite Online Gardening Resources

• The Old Farmer’s Almanac
• Gardenia
• Gardeners’ World Magazine
• Better Homes & Gardens (Garden section has a plant encyclopedia)

Have a beautiful day!