The various species and cultivars blend easily with countless other perennials and annuals. Creamy white Snowflake and White Wonder are less dramatic, but still make good candidates for edging a white garden or for separating disparate colors in a perennial border. Nepeta's adaptability makes it an ideal plant for our climate. It performs equally well in raised beds, dry rocky places, irrigated borders, and in sites where you might otherwise plant yarrow, wallflower, salvia, sedum, or the larger thymes. Although it is named for its role in the mint family, some people dislike catmint's scent, which is more sagelike than minty.
Some cats seem to love it, however.
Of course, far more species than nepeta will be on view. A selection of plants and other garden goodies will be offered for sale in the garden market. Problem-solving and compost and vermiculture demonstrations will also be featured at two of the gardens. Rosemary McCreary, a Sonoma County gardener, gardening teacher and author, writes the weekly Homegrown column for The Press Democrat.