Get set for a scene of wayward cottage-garden charm with the beautifully informal, relaxed and easy-going beauty that is Nepeta govaniana. It’s unfussy, low-maintenance and seems to just go on and on through summer, often continuing blooming into autumn. The pastel yellow flowers are produced in profusion once this hardy perennial is mature, forming a bushy, upright structure, spreading out over time to fill its space with speckling of banana-yellow blooms among a mass of aromatic, minty foliage. The blooms of Nepeta govaniana are a rich source of nectar for pollinators. So, if you want to bee friendly, plant a catmint like this.

Like all catmints, Nepeta govaniana enjoys a position in full sun but it can tolerate partial shade. Usefully, this variety grows well in clay soil, but will be happy in a loamy soil too. Once settled in and established, this hardy perennial is drought tolerant, which will save on watering during summer. We recommend, however, watering your bare root plant regularly in its first year while it’s putting its roots down. Planting Nepeta govaniana into a temporary pot and growing it on for a few months will get it off to the easiest start, it will happily grow in a border once it’s got into the swing of things. This plant looks great planted among other cottage-garden perennials like helenium, echinacea and veronica.