The free flowering nature and grand stature of nepeta ‘Sixhills Giant’ makes it a must have in the garden. At the peak of spring the 30 inch tall plants are lush with gray-green, scented foliage and literally covered in spires of soft purple blooms. If you struggle with growing the herb lavender, I suggest you try nepeta ‘Sixhills Giant’ as an alternative. Catmint does best in full sun, planted in soil that is moist, but well-drained.

Once the flowers fade, cut the plants back to about 3 inches above the ground and they’ll flower again in early fall. Catmint and catnip are both members of the mint family (Nepeta), but catnip has larger leaves than catmint and white flowers. Unlike other mints, such as spearmint and peppermint, catmint is not an invasive spreader in the garden.