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compact nepeta

Compact nepeta is the perfect choice for New Zealand gardeners seeking easy-care, drought-tolerant, and low-growing colour in borders or containers. This petite perennial is a wonderful alternative to larger varieties of catmint, with the same aromatic, grey-green foliage and a profusion of violet-blue flowers that bees, butterflies, and pollinators adore. Compact nepeta varieties are tidy, clump-forming, and exceptionally versatile—working just as well at the front of mixed beds as they do spilling over paths or softening edges in modern landscapes.

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.

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
A large Calamagrostis 'Overdam' grass with elegant, variegated foliage.

Calamagrostis 'Overdam'

5 from 1 customers

Calamagrostis ‘Overdam’ is a striking variegated ornamental grass that delivers elegant upright form and delicate texture to garden borders and landscaping. With green and creamy-white striped foliage and feathery plumes in summer, this clump-forming grass is both functional and decorative. The Plant Company supplies top-quality, NZ-grown Calamagrostis ‘Overdam’ for use in modern and low-maintenance garden designs.

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Grasses
Height: 90 cm
Spread: 50 cm
Flowering time: Summer, Autumn, Winter
Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods, Hardy, Wind
Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas
Garden styles: Alpine, Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern
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Search compact nepeta

Why Choose Compact Nepeta?

If you love catmint but are short on space, compact nepeta selections offer all the beauty and resilience of larger types, without the tendency to flop or smother neighbouring plants. Growing typically to around 30–40cm tall, compact forms thrive in sunny, well-drained spots. They cope brilliantly with dry, windy conditions often found in New Zealand gardens and are resistant to pests and diseases. Once established, compact nepeta is low maintenance, needing only a quick trim after flowering to encourage a second flush of fresh growth and blooms.

Best Compact Nepeta Varieties for New Zealand Gardens

New Zealand gardeners have a range of beautiful compact nepeta cultivars at their fingertips. Among the most popular is Nepeta faassenii, a classic compact variety prized for its soft blue flowers that bloom reliably from late spring through autumn. For especially neat, rounded shapes, many choose Nepeta mussinii (Catmint), which forms tidy mounds covered in lavender-blue blooms.

If you’re seeking something with a slightly different hue, Nepeta 'Blue Wonder' (Catmint) features a dense habit and rich blue flower spikes, making it irresistible to pollinators and gardeners alike. Those with a little extra space might pair these with the ever-popular Nepeta 'Walkers Low' (Catmint) for a contrasting effect—though taller, it combines beautifully with compact nepeta varieties. For white flowering partners, consider the graceful Calamintha nepeta 'White Cloud', which compliments compact nepeta's colour palette beautifully.

How to Plant and Care for Compact Nepeta

Compact nepeta is undemanding, favouring full sun and any well-draining soil, including poor or gravelly sites where other plants might struggle. Space the plants about 25–30cm apart to allow for good airflow. Water regularly during the first growing season, but once settled, compact nepeta is highly drought tolerant. Deadhead spent blooms for more colour, and shear the plants back in midsummer to reinvigorate growth.

Uses for Compact Nepeta in the Landscape

The tidy form and long flowering season make compact nepeta a must-have for edging garden beds, lining driveways, or planting in rockeries. It's perfect for pollinator-friendly gardens, Mediterranean-inspired borders, and as a fragrant foliage contrast to roses and other flowering perennials. Try mass planting for a dramatic ground-cover effect or combine with other heat-loving plants for continuous seasonal interest.

Explore our range and discover just how versatile compact nepeta can be. Whether you’re updating a courtyard, adding pollinator plants to your vege patch, or seeking easy care options, compact nepeta deserves a prime spot in your garden.


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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.

–The Plant Company

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