21013 Best perennial purchase

I fell in love with Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta when I first saw it in Olbrich's gravel garden in 2011 (bottom photo). When I asked Jeff Epping, Olbrich's Director of Horticulture, about it he stressed that this was a sterile nepeta and did not self-seed. Since endless seedlings are a problem with most plants in this family, this characteristic is a big part of its value as an element in a more sustainable landscape. Jeff also said that it was critical to be sure to buy the variety named "nepeta subsp. nepeta." 

So I was thrilled to see this plant at Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros in the spring of 2013. I bought four of them at $6.75 each. They did beautifully and developed a distinct stature in their first season in the garden. They were also covered with tiny flowers and bees from start to finish and added a softness and subtlety to the garden no matter where I put them or what plant was adjacent to them. 

MIDWEST GROUNDCOVERS PHOTO

I had previously ordered and planted what I thought was the same plant in the fall of 2011 from Plant Delights Nursery. I've bought many great plants over the years from PDN. Having seen this and loved it at Olbrich I was willing to pay the $12.00 price that PDN was asking. Last spring when the three plants that I bought from them came up they were surrounded by seedlings.  They looked almost — but not quite — identical to the plants I'd just bought from Olbrich.

PDN's offering is listed as Calamintha nepeta var. nepeta. I've seen folks on garden webs praise this plant and say it doesn't reseed. Maybe it's a climate or a soil thing; my PDN plants were growing in the best soil in the garden — more by happenstance than design. 

THINK GLOBAL GARDEN LOCAL BLOG PHOTO

Based on performance, the Olbrich plants have grown faster and flowered better than the PDN plants. Because of the degree of seeding the PDN plants produced, I pulled them all out last summer. I sent a note to PDN trying to determine if indeed their Calamintha and Olbrich's were actually the same plant or not. I never heard back from PDN which will make me more cautious with my future orders; if I decide to even take a chance and order from them again.

I plan, however, to buy more of this variety at Olbrich's 2014 sale based on Jeff's recommendation and my own experience. Given that Olbrich has been growing it with no negative issues since 2011, I don't expect any ugly surprises when my Olbrich plants come up this spring.

Comments

[Cindy at enclos*ure]

Definitely a 'buy local' cautionary tale.

[Erin @ The Impatient Gardener]

Well that is a stunning Nepeta. That's too bad about the PDN plants. I had a similar experience with Bluestone Nursery except with was with rose campion. I was supposed to receive a sterile version, and did the the first time I ordered it. I liked it so much I ordered it again but a different variety showed up and tried hard to take over my garden. In fact I still pull out seedlings from that plant. I called and they apologized and offered to send the right plant, but I passed.

I do so love buying locally ... I just wish there were more selection.

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

​Cindy — We are lucky that we do have a good selection of independent garden sources locally but sometimes you want to be sure to get something and not take a chance you'll find it locally. And these specialty nurseries almost always have something unusual and interesting.

Erin — I emailed my complaint. Maybe I should have called as I never heard back. I decided to just chalk it up to experience.

[Les]

Whenever I see a Calamint, I just can't help myself from running my fingers and hands through the wonderfully aromatic foliage. I'm that way with Rosemary as well.