Nepeta Cats Pajamas
It’s quite some time since I posted on Aberdeen Gardening. I guess finding plants in the garden which I haven’t already talked about is getting to be a little difficult after doing this for almost 20 years.
The plant I have settled for in this post is, Nepeta Cats Pajamas.
What a find, it is sensational, can a garden plant be sensational, well in my world it can.
In Our Garden
I planted Nepeta Cats Pajamas in the back garden three years ago. I had to lift it after a few months as it was getting crowded out. This squeezing in of plants is common practice with me.
However, the plant is now my favourite Nepeta cat mint and is looking amazing in its pot.
Nepeta Cats Pajamas Profile
Height
Grows to a height of 30 cm and spread of 40cm
Position
Requires full sun or partial shade
Flowers
The blue flowers which smother the full length of the stems begin to bloom in May and can continue until September.
I have to say the flowers are the deepest blue which I have seen in a catmint and are a darker indigo blue than my images show
The fresh minty fragrance is very pleasant, any cat will tell you so.
Soil
Nepeta requires free draining soil on the alkaline side that is generally poor in nutrients.
Growing in a pot, use a multipurpose peat free compost with a good amount of grit added for drainage. Do not add extra feeding in the first-year.
Cultivation
Introduced in 2015 by Hans Hansen
Buy
Tropical fish keeping
I started Aberdeen Gardening in 2006. Anyone who follows or visits regularly knows it’s all about the plants that I have grown along with Myra over many years.
Well, it’s time to go forward in a slightly different direction. From now on, each post will include a topic regarding the rediscovery of an old hobby of mine, (fresh water tropical fish keeping).
To start off I will highlight the Heliulux Spectrum lighting system
I have added this to my Juwel 240 Rio fish tank. Juwel offer this as an alternative to the standard lighting which comes with the tank.
It allows you to alter the lighting colour, either in a subtle or bold manner. I have chosen to open up in late morning with a blue shade which lasts for one hour then gradually opens to natural which lasts for seven hours, the final colour of red finishes the day.
I joined the three video clips together but didn’t place them in the correct order, but you get the idea.
I will possibly experiment with other video settings, but it’s a helluva lot to get your head around at my age.
Your passion for Nepeta Cats Pajamas is contagious! That deep indigo blue you describe sounds absolutely mesmerizing – it’s remarkable how certain plants can stop us in our tracks like that. I’ve struggled with catmints becoming leggy in my garden, so hearing how well yours thrives in a pot (with that perfect gritty mix) is a game-changer. Might try this with my next nursery purchase!
The tropical fish addition is such a delightful surprise – like discovering a hidden room in a familiar house. That Heliulux lighting system sounds incredible with its circadian rhythm programming. The blue-to-red transition must create such a peaceful ambiance in your home. As someone who finds aquarium lighting intimidating, I’d love to hear more about how you balanced the aesthetic and biological needs of your fish when setting this up.
Your twenty years of gardening wisdom shines through in how you describe even the simplest details – like not feeding first-year potted plants. Here’s to many more years of sharing your plant (and now fish!) adventures. That Juwel tank looks like it could become as much a part of Aberdeen Gardening’s legacy as your beautiful catmints!
What a charming spotlight on Nepeta ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ – a compact, pollinator-loving gem that’s perfect for small beds or containers! ?? Loved the mix of care tips and its long-lasting bloom details—thanks for sharing the green goodness! ?
Its a great plant, the long flowering period isn’t exactly non-stop. Once the first flush has gone over, you have to cut back the spent stems fully and the plant will flower once again.
Wow, I didn’t realize how pretty and low-maintenance ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ is! I’ve been looking for something compact and bee-friendly for the front of my flower bed, and this looks perfect. Love that it blooms for so long and doesn’t need much fuss. Definitely adding this one to my garden list—thanks for the helpful info!
Hello Linda, thanks for reaching out again. I did get back to you through your blog but the system did not accept my comment. I will try again.
Beautiful photos, Alistair! I am so glad I found you again! We used to follow each other’s blogs when I was at Linda’s Peaceful Place years back. I lost access to my old blog due to the fact that I had no computer for more than 7 years. I have missed you!
I started my new blog, Linda’s Relaxing Lair, (link is left here for you), at the end of March this year.
I wanted you to know that I am thinking of you, that I have started blogging again and where you can find me now.
Take good care of yourself, and warm greetings from Montreal, Canada.
Thanks for dropping by Francia and taking the time to comment. I think it is time we bacame more patriotic in this country.
Nepeta Cat’s Pajamas is the cat’s meow, as we say in the States. I would love to plant this next spring in our front pots, for which I am partial to red, white, and blue, for our Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day— the four American summer holidays! Thank you!