The first plant my eyes rest on when I open the sliding door is Walker’s Low Nepeta racenosa. I know what you’re saying, “Oh my, catmint?”

I don’t cut back the arching dried branches in the fall, which is a plus on the rare winter days when we experience the frosty beauty of a hoar frost. On the majority of winter days, I consider the branches as architectural interest. Who am I fooling? I just never get around to cutting them in the fall cleanup process.

As a consequence, in the spring I mumble and grumble trying to separate and cut out the old growth from the rapidly growing fresh and lively new growth.

It wasn’t until I received the latest issue of Fine Gardening that I truly appreciated the beauty and the job of garden workhorse that catmints perform.

The article of interest was a recap of the Nepeta plant trial results from the Chicago Botanic Garden. The varieties were chosen as the best in terms of bloom time, overall habit, disease resistance and low maintenance. Catmints are rated for growth in USDA zones 3-8, which covers Central Oregon.

Catmints are tough, drought-tolerant (once established), sun-loving plants that provide months of bloom. It’s true the family cat may plop down in a patch every now and then, but that is better than a plant that the deer will be attracted to for the lush new growth.

Deer tend to stay away from the plants. The fine hairs on the leaf stems are a texture they don’t appreciate, as opposed to the texture of my Southern Comfort heuchera that they mowed down.

The foliage of most catmints is a gray-green, a nice contrast to the more pure greens in the landscape. The two-lipped tubular flowers are one of the markings of the mint family along with the square shape of the stem. Bloom time can begin in early summer and last as long as late fall.

The leaves and stems contain an essential oil that triggers a variety of behavioral responses in cats, according to Richard Hawke, plant-evaluation manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Rubbing, licking or biting the leaves produces a short-lived high, while eating the leaves may act as a sedative. Catnip, a close relative, is particularly intoxicating to cats and more appealing than the catmints.

Chicago Botanic Garden has been evaluating nearly 50 types of catmint since 1999. The varieties are grown for a minimum of four years. The CBG is an advocate for easy-care plants and they only provide minimal care to plants at the garden, thereby allowing the plants to thrive or fail under natural conditions. That’s the kind of criteria I like hearing about.

The following varieties received excellent ratings.

Walker’s Low is definitely the most popular variety and probably the easiest to find. I started mine years ago from seed I purchased from Nichols Nursery. The name is deceptive; it is not a low grower. The name comes from a garden in Ireland. The blue flowers are borne on arching plumes that can measure 12 inches long.

Select Blue is credited with having a long-blooming period of lavender flower that features a darker calyx. The low, mounded dusty-gray foliage is only 14 inches high. High Country Gardens, well-known xeriscape experts, recommend the variety for its toughness and drought tolerance.

Six Hills Giant earns its giant tag for robust size and long flower spikes. Like many catmints, it may begin to relax, Hawke said, or even recline several weeks into the flowering period. Don’t be timid about whacking it back after this first flower flush, which encourages new stronger stems. Plant Six Hills Giant next to almost anything pink in the garden for the perfect show.

Joanna Reed is one of the tidiest catmints; the strong stems never flopped in the trials, and new growth grew quickly to conceal the declining flower stems, eliminating the need for deadheading. Compact, wide-spreading plants are covered with a continuous display of large violet-blue flowers above dusty green leaves.

Finding seeds is difficult, so think about starting a catmint fund in the ol’ cookie jar to purchase plants.

Five new catmints were listed as being in trial, some with cat-themed cultivar names. In a few more years, we will find Cool Cat, Kit Cat and Meow at local nurseries.