Name: The Plant Company
Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 843 752
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catmint plant

The catmint plant is a favourite among New Zealand gardeners for its aromatic foliage, long-lasting blooms, and low-maintenance care. Whether you’re designing a cottage border, attracting pollinators, or seeking a drought-hardy groundcover, catmint offers a wealth of possibilities. With cheerful spike-like flowers in tranquil blues and purples, and soft, silvery-green leaves, the catmint plant brings a relaxed, whimsical charm to any garden.

Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' green foliage and blue flowers.

Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' (Catmint)

Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' is a vigorous perennial prized for its aromatic foliage and abundant lavender blue flowers that bloom from late spring through summer. Taller than most Catmints, this variety creates a soft, flowing effect in NZ gardens, attracting bees and butterflies in abundance. Its drought tolerance and low maintenance needs make it ideal for both cottage and modern landscapes. 'Six Hills Giant' delivers colour, fragrance, and resilience with ease.

Buy Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' (Catmint)

From $18.83

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Perennials

Height: 50 cm

Spread: 75 cm

Flowering time: Summer, Autumn

Tolerances: Hardy

Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Frontyard, Modern

Prostanthera Eddington Blue (Mint Bush Plant)

Prostanthera Eddington Blue is an evergreen shrub grown for its foliage and flowers. It features small and glossy, green leaves which are highly aromatic. The foliage is complemented with masses of small, blue flowers in spring as it grows to 1 m tall and the same wide. Prostanthera Eddington Blue is commonly included in a mixed planting, used in borders, or planted anywhere the beauty and fragrance of this plant can be enjoyed.

Buy Prostanthera Eddington Blue (Mint Bush Plant)

From $26.93

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Shrubs

Height: 1.00 m

Spread: 1.00 m

Flowering time: Spring

Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Paths & Steps

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Frontyard, Modern, Rock

What Is the Catmint Plant?

The catmint plant, botanically known as Nepeta, belongs to the mint family. Its fragrant leaves and profuse flowers make it a top choice for beds, borders, and containers. Catmint is often confused with catnip, but unlike its playful cousin, catmint is prized primarily for its looks and garden performance. Among the many varieties, Nepeta mussinii (Catmint) is especially valued for compact growth, making it perfect for edging and pathways.

Popular Catmint Varieties

Gardeners are spoiled for choice once they discover the array of catmint options available. Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' (Catmint) is renowned for its robust, sprawling form and clouds of lavender-blue flowers—a lovely mid-border statement plant. If you prefer a tidier look, Nepeta 'Walkers Low' (Catmint) is a favourite for its dense mounds and long season of colour. Another showstopper is Nepeta 'Blue Wonder' (Catmint), which offers deep blue blooms on a compact plant, perfect for smaller spaces or edging.

Catmint Plant Benefits and Uses

The easygoing catmint plant is as practical as it is pretty. Its naturally aromatic foliage is pest and rabbit resistant, making it reliable in mixed perennial beds. Catmint is drought-tolerant once established and thrives in New Zealand’s varied climates. Use it to soften garden edges, fill gaps between stepping stones, or create a bee-and-butterfly-friendly haven. The blooms pair beautifully with classics like roses, and catmint’s relaxed aura ties together formal and informal plantings.

Growing Tips for Catmint in New Zealand

Catmint plants are remarkably undemanding. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil, and your catmint will happily flourish. Trim back spent blooms to extend flowering, and consider a harder prune after the main flush for a tidy, compact display into late summer. Catmint can tolerate periods of dry weather, making it a sound choice for water-wise gardens.

Related Plants to Explore

If you appreciate the easy nature and fragrance of the catmint plant, explore other aromatic perennials such as Prostanthera Eddington Blue (Mint Bush Plant). This Australian native brings a fresh twist and complements the silvery hues of your catmint collection.

Whether you need a robust performer like Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' (Catmint) or a neat border star like Nepeta mussinii (Catmint), the catmint plant has a place in every New Zealand garden. Plant one this season and enjoy a lush, pollinator-friendly space with little fuss.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.