How to give catmint a second life

Mail on Sunday (London, England), The, July 11, 2010
Byline: Eugene Higgins

My catmint is in full flower so I will cut it back in the next few days before it finishes blooming to create a second flush of flowers.
Plant perovskia or Russian sage in the next few weeks. It will start flowering now and continue well into the autumn with spires of lovely tubular violet flowers. Excellent for coastal gardens.
As shortages threaten a ban on watering your garden, you might want think about suitable plants. Cistus, grevillea, erysium and gaillardia are good in a hot, dry part of the garden.
My favourite lavender, English lavender, is just about to flower – it’s been shaping up nicely over the past few weeks. If yours looks woody and underwhelming, you did not trim it in early spring. This is essential to get the best out of lavender. The trimming involves cutting about one-third of the growth but do not cut into old wood.
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PURRFECT: Catmint in flower
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