Plants: Catmint, also known as Nepeta, unknown variety in the herbaceous perennial group. Growth habit: Mounding to about 1 ft. high. Dropmore Honeysuckle, Lonicera x brownii 'Dropmore Scarlet'. Growth habit: climbing vine to 20 ft.
Conditions: Catmint is drought hardy and can grow in most soil conditions, Dropmore Honeysuckle prefers average to evenly moist soil and will not tolerate standing water. Both are full sun but will do well in part shade which is where I am growing them together.
The down side: Although Catmint is considered aromatic, I find that it is only so if you rub or step on the leaves. Dropmore Honeysuckle has no scent so this pair does not provide a fragrant spot in the garden.
Why I like them: Catmint has grey-green foliage and a serated edged leaf with a lacey appearance. The lavender/blue flowers bloom on spikes. The Dropmore has wide, smooth edged leaves that appear a light, bright green and darken with age. So when neither are blooming, which is only in early Spring, the foliage keeps them interesting. The flowers of the Dropmore, although called Scarlet, are more orange in appearance and bring out the lavender flowers of the Catmint in a way you don't notice them on their own. The Dropmore will climb to 20 ft. but it will also crawl along the ground, or in my case, rock edges and fill in open spaces for quite a distance. It will also tolerate regular pruning to keep it smaller which is how I grow it. It is given a space here and anything beyond, I regularly chop off but it never misses a beat. Dropmore can get leggy at the bottom of the plant, particularly when it climbs. Catmint is just the right height to cover this. Both bloom from early Summer through to frost so I am never without blooms in this spot eventhough the Catmint blooms come in waves throughout the season.
Lovely photo and the foliage is definitely complimentary. Unfortunately I have no room next to my dropmore to add catmint.
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