Catmint vs Lavender: Why Nepeta × faassenii Sends Bees Wild

An often-overlooked perennial is tougher, flowers for longer - and sends bees into a genuine frenzy.

Anyone planning borders, pots and balcony planters right now almost automatically reaches for lavender to bring a touch of Mediterranean style to the front door. Yet there’s a perennial that quietly does all of that more convincingly: it lasts for years, copes with neglect, blooms for months, smells wonderful - and becomes a haven for bees and other pollinators. It’s catmint, botanically Nepeta × faassenii - a hardy perennial that suits an era when heat, drought and late frosts are becoming the new normal.

The underestimated rival: why catmint outperforms lavender

Fragrance that’s instantly noticeable

For a long time, lavender has been treated as the undisputed queen of scented planting. In many gardens it dominates the sunniest spots, from the front garden to gravel and rock beds. Catmint belongs in the same league - and in several respects it clearly has the edge.

A light brush against its grey-green foliage releases an aromatic cloud straight away. Unlike some warmth-loving herbs, it doesn’t need blistering midday heat before it performs. The leaves give off fresh, lightly menthol and gently spicy notes, reminiscent of a blend of mint and a traditional herb garden. And the scent lingers surprisingly well into the evening and on cooler days.

"Catmint perfumes the garden without demanding a Mediterranean climate - and it keeps going for months."

Many people find the aroma more pleasant and less “soapy” than heavily scented lavender. That’s particularly useful on a terrace or balcony where you’re sitting close to the plants: the fragrance is strong, but not overpowering.

A bee hotspot from spring right through to autumn

From an insect’s point of view, catmint is an absolute dream buffet. Its small blue-to-violet flowers sit on long spikes that keep replenishing nectar. Early in the day you’ll see bumblebees and solitary bees working the blooms, and later butterflies join in.

If you want to turn an outdoor space into a small refuge for pollinators, Nepeta is a sure bet. While some ornamentals look good but offer little, catmint provides food for months on end.

• attracts honeybees, solitary bees and bumblebees
• offers a long flowering period and therefore a steady food source
• supports butterflies and other pollinators
• helps with pollination of nearby fruit trees, berries and vegetables

So if you’re putting out bee water stations, building insect hotels and avoiding toxins, this perennial is well worth adding. It turns a pleasant garden into a genuine insect paradise.

Virtually indestructible: this perennial shrugs off frost and heat

No more worrying about double-digit minus temperatures

Many Mediterranean plants look great in mild winters, then fail when a harder frost arrives. Catmint behaves differently. It’s considered very hardy and can tolerate temperatures down to around -20 °C - and in some cases even lower, depending on site and variety.

The key is that the top growth usually dies back over winter while the plant’s strength remains in the roots. Even if January leaves you with nothing but dry stems, the perennial is still alive below ground. In spring it reliably shoots again - with no winter protection, no fleece, and no need to move it into a shed or cellar.

"If you plant catmint, you can stop worrying about having to replace your favourite perennial after every harsh winter."

Heat-ready and almost drought-proof

At the same time, Nepeta is one of those plants that copes remarkably well with increasingly hot, dry summers. Once it has rooted in over a few weeks, it manages on very little water.

Its finely hairy, slightly felted leaves reduce evaporation, meaning the plant loses less moisture through its foliage. If you water it in well at the start and provide free-draining soil, it comes through heatwaves better than many classic border plants.

That makes catmint ideal for anyone who:

• doesn’t want (or isn’t able) to water every day in summer
• lives in areas with watering restrictions or water scarcity
• is planning a low-maintenance front garden without a lawn
• needs to get through holidays without relying on someone to water constantly

A wash of colour from April to October - with minimal effort

Up to seven months of flowering, with almost no work

Perhaps its most impressive feature is that catmint doesn’t just flower in a brief burst; it blooms for an exceptionally long stretch. In a good spot it can begin in April and still be going in October.

The slender flower spikes come in waves. A light trim in between encourages the next flush. A sharper cut around mid-summer - simply shortening the clumps by about a third with hedge shears - is usually enough to stimulate fresh flowering shoots for late summer and autumn.

It needs very little fertiliser. Soil that’s too rich tends to make it lush and floppy; in leaner compost or soil it stays more compact and flowers more freely.

How catmint creates visual highlights

Visually, Nepeta can look like a soft, floating carpet of bloom. Depending on the variety, the colours range from cool blues and lilacs to deeper violet. It’s especially striking planted in larger drifts.

Popular ways to use it include:

• as a loose edging for perennial borders or roses
• along path edges, where plants can gently spill over the paving
• in large terracotta pots on sunny terraces
• between natural stones, in gravel beds or prairie-style planting
• as an alternative to traditional ground cover in the front garden

"Catmint brings the feel of a lavender field into the garden - just more forgiving, longer-lived and easier to care for."

Planting time, position, care: how to get it established

The best time to plant

Early spring is ideal, as soon as the ground is no longer frozen and starts to warm. Late March to April works well: the perennial has plenty of time to build strong roots before summer heat arrives.

Container-grown plants from nurseries and garden centres can be planted straight into borders or large pots without fuss. If you plant catmint in autumn, take extra care in very exposed areas to avoid waterlogging, as roots can rot in wet soil.

Position and soil - what catmint actually needs

The basics are straightforward and achievable in most gardens:

• Light: as much sun as possible; light partial shade is fine, but flowering will be slightly less abundant.
• Soil: free-draining, with no prolonged wetness; sandy loam or stony ground is ideal.
• Watering: regularly for the first few weeks after planting, then only during longer dry spells.
• Spacing: around 30–40 centimetres depending on variety, as plants spread into cushion-like clumps.

On very heavy soils, work in sand or fine gravel. That creates a lighter, more mineral feel - exactly the kind of conditions Nepeta prefers.

Added value for the garden, your back and the climate

Less weeding, less work, fewer chemicals

A dense mat of catmint shades the soil and makes it much harder for weeds to get established. That can save hours spent kneeling with a hoe.

If you plant larger areas with Nepeta, you’ll need to hoe or weed less often and can avoid herbicides altogether. That’s kinder not only to your back, but also to soil life, groundwater and insects.

What gardening beginners should also know

Despite the name, not every cat reacts to this type as strongly as it does to classic “true” catnip (Nepeta cataria), though curious pets may still occasionally roll around in the bed. If you have very delicate areas, you can use pots instead or protect a few plants with small edging fences.

Over the long term, catmint is easy to divide. Every few years in spring or autumn, lift the clumps, split them with a spade and replant elsewhere. That way your favourite perennial spreads around the garden at almost no cost - and, if you pass a piece on, perhaps into your neighbours’ gardens too.