This delightful Japanese catmint has so many merits, we scarcely know where to begin! Both the foliage and the flowers are fragrant, for one thing. For another, it blooms the first year from seed, unlike most perennials. And unlike other species of Nepeta you may have grown, it is upright and nicely branched, rather than sprawling. Make it a centerpiece of your finest containers and sunny-to-partly-shaded garden areas this season.

Panther Dark Blue walked off with the bronze medal at Holland’s prestigious planetarium competition in 2015, and one look at this delightful little plant tells you why. It is much more compact than the species, standing just 8 inches high and 10 inches wide. The foliage is bright green, glossy, and toothed, releasing a strong, heavenly fragrance from spring through fall. Even if it never set a bloom, Panther Dark Blue would be a plant to cherish in flowerpots and gardens.

Yet bloom it does, and su