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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 'Blue Wonder' plant with blue flowers.

Nepeta 'Blue Wonder' (Catmint)

Nepeta 'Walker's Low' is an award winning Catmint admired for its long flowering season and aromatic grey green foliage. From late spring through autumn, it produces masses of lavender blue flowers that attract bees and butterflies to NZ gardens.

From $17.87

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate
Plant type: Perennials
Height: 25 cm
Spread: 25 cm
Flowering time: Summer, Autumn
Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas
Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Frontyard, Modern
corokia-pipsqueak-1

Corokia 'Pipsqueak'

Corokia 'Pipsqueak' is a compact evergreen New Zealand shrub prized for its dense branching, small grey green foliage, and naturally tidy growth. Its unique structure provides year round interest while the small yellow flowers and decorative berries add seasonal appeal.

From $17.95

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Shrubs
Height: 1.20 m
Spread: 1.00 m
Flowering time: Summer
Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods, Hardy, Wind
Garden uses: Hedging, Ponds, Pool areas
Garden styles: Alpine, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Formal, Frontyard, Mediterranean, Modern, Native, Riparian, Rock
A Metrosideros 'Tahiti' shrub about 70 cm tall and 60 cm wide with red flowers and lush foliage.
Metrosideros 'Tahiti'

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Azalea 'Paradise Elfin'

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Gardenia 'Buttons' small, white flowers and dark green foliage.
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Metrosideros 'Lighthouse' plant with red flowers and olive-green foliage.
Metrosideros 'Lighthouse'

Metrosideros 'Lighthouse' is a compact and hardy NZ native shrub renowned for its vibrant red flowers that burst into colour during summer. Its...

From$515.35
Leptospermum Nanum Ruru shrub with dark pink flowers.
Leptospermum 'Nanum Ruru'

Leptospermum 'Nanum Ruru' is a compact NZ native shrub valued for its dense evergreen foliage, tidy rounded form, and masses of small flowers that...

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Hebe 'Snowdrift'

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A Pittosporum 'Little Gem' (Dwarf Pittosporum) plant with fresh green foliage in a garden.
Pittosporum 'Little Gem'

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From$20.01
Coprosma acerosa 'Taiko' plants for sale at The Plant Company nursery.
Coprosma 'Taiko'

Coprosma 'Taiko' is a compact evergreen shrub valued for its rich chocolate to deep burgundy foliage and naturally rounded form. This hardy selection...

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Lagerstroemia 'Townhouse' specimen tree with masses of white flowers and lush, green foliage.
Lagerstroemia 'Townhouse'

Lagerstroemia ‘Townhouse’ is a compact crepe myrtle selected for its tidy growth habit and reliable summer flowering. This variety is ideal for...

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Pittosporum 'Stephens Island' green foliage.
Pittosporum 'Stephens Island' (Dwarf Karo)

Pittosporum ‘Stephens Island’ is a compact, evergreen shrub known for its dense, upright growth and attractive grey-green foliage. A hardy New...

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Phormium 'Pepe' (Dwarf Flax)

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Hydrangea 'Masja'

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Metrosideros 'Vibrance'

Metrosideros 'Vibrance' is a compact, evergreen tree prized for its vivid red flowers and dense, silver-green foliage. Typically growing to 4-5...

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Callistemon 'Burgundy Jack' shrub with purple flowers.
Callistemon 'Burgundy Jack' (Bottlebrush)

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Phormium 'Emerald Green' plants in a mixed planting.
Phormium 'Emerald Green'

Phormium 'Emerald Green' is a compact New Zealand flax valued for its rich emerald green foliage and tidy growth habit. This hardy evergreen provides...

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Azalea 'Asawa' white and purple flower.
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Coprosma repens 'Middlemore' high-quality plants for sale at The Plant Company nursery.
Coprosma 'Middlemore'

Coprosma 'Middlemore' is a hardy New Zealand native shrub valued for its dense bright green foliage and compact rounded growth habit. Well suited to...

From$17.95
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Magnolia 'Teddy Bear'

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Hymenosporum 'Gold Nugget'

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Exquisite Magnolia 'Genie' dark purple flowers.
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Lavender 'Ruffles Vanillaberry' cream-coloured flowers above green foliage.
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Nepeta 'Blue Wonder' (Catmint)

Did you find what you are looking for?

You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Azalea, Coprosma, and Corokia, or related Categories - Perennials, Evergreen Azaleas, and Evergreen Shrubs.

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.

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.

Illustration of plant leaves.
We love Corokia 'Frosted Chocolate' and Gardenia 'Veitchii' as much as anyone, but part of the fun is discovering Camellia 'Paradise Pearl', Choisya 'White Dazzler', and Beilschmiedia tarairi (Taraire).
–The Plant Company

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