Six Hills Giant Catmint

Our monsoon season is going well and my plants are happy! It's amazing what a little rain will do that well water just doesn't seem to accomplish. It has been cooler as well, topping out in the 80s during the day and this morning at 5 am (yep-I even get up early on Saturday) it was 57 degrees. In August. This is one of the things I love about the high desert.

I splurged with a knockout rose and two hardy hibiscus, but I decided that the rest of the perennials I put in will have to be something that will naturalize here and require minimum watering. I am a firm believer in lots of mulch...not gravel. Gravel gets too hot in the courtyard and I want something that will break down and enrich this very sandy, slightly alkaline soil. So I use lots of compost and bark mulch.

One of the plants recommended for this environment is catmint. I went to a local nursery because they have the best selection of plants that will do well here. The big box stores aren't always reliable on that count. I decided on the Six Hills Giant Catmint, one for each side of my lilac. $8 for a gallon size-not too bad. I have read that it is a sterile hybrid, which means no seeds. I'm disappointed about that, but not enough to change my mind about planting it.

I got them planted this morning. I trimmed off the flowers to reduce the stress--blooming while being transplanted can be a little too much for some plants. I will probably keep the buds pinched off for the remainder of this summer so it's energy will go to roots. I added about an inch of mushroom compost and dug it in good before planting. I had composted the entire bed before mulching, so added just a little extra as I planted. They were root bound, so I loosened up the roots with my fingers before planting them. Now it is just wait and see how they do.