My local Lowes & Home Depot carried this last year. $5 for big plants.

FYI, once you try Nepeta, you're probably going to want MORE than 3 plants! ^_^

I totally understand how you wouldn't necessarily want to order 3 plants and I'm sure there are plenty of reputable online sources where you can find one plant (I often use the Plant Scout tool on www.gardenwatchdog.com), but keep in mind that by the end of the growing season a little Bluestone perennial plant will often be healthier and bigger than the same exact plant bought full-size at a Home Depot and/or Lowes. I just can't say enough great things about Bluestone. They really do rock and they're especially cooperative/helpful if any problems arise. Best of luck, Echi. I hope you find a Nepeta you love! Walker's Low is especially awesome. ;)

I agree with what torajima said. All of the big box stores should carry Walkers Low. This isn't an uncommon plant, so you shouldn't have to pay such a lot for it!
A heads up, this Nepeta attracts cats! Every year they squash it down and chew it up here. I haven't had that trouble with N. subsessilis; they don't seem to care as much for it as much.
CMK

Thanks. I was ordering plants from Bluestone that I really wanted. I couldn't believe their pricing of this one.

I'll probably buy it some place cheaper and root my own cuttings. I'm so bad!

I never found Walker's Low in big box stores where I live, unfortunately. They tend not to sell Russian Sage, either, or Rozanne or Jolly Bee geraniums, and these are "must have" workhorse plants in my garden--I use them all over the place. I could never figure out why such common and popular perennials were left off their inventories--I've gotten them from nurseries and paid an arm and a leg, but I suppose it's good to support local nurseries, so I shouldn't complain. I know High Country Gardens (online) sells Walker's Low, and you can buy only one if you choose--not sure if the size is the same.

Walkers Low was a PPA winner, so EVERYONE around here has it. Big Box stores, local nurseries, Farmers Market, etc. It wouldn't surprise me if it showed up at Walmart!

As for cats, they only bother my Walkers Low if it's bruised/crushed/pruned or otherwise damaged. Plant some catnip somewhere else and they'll leave it alone!

Try calling around to the local nurseries for it, it's quite popular, and a great plant. I often find plants for way less locally than mail order.

That's expensive for a perennial that divides so easily. I bought a flat last year to donate the sales to a fund-raiser and brought the extras home. It's a great nepeta.

I have bought nepeta subsessillis, ageratum, echinops and penstemon from Bluestone in the past years and liked the plants and service. They replaced the nepeta for free one year later when it bloomed pink instead of blue.

Cameron

I agree Walkers Low should be easy to find locally no matter where you live - it's been a popular seller and shouldn't be in short supply, certainly not enough to warrant mail order and shipping.

Wandering cats around here love it though...I cut mine back hard - it's just beginning to break dormancy with growth no more than a skimpy 1/2" coming back (has been a chilly Spring here). I don't have cats, immediate neighbors on either side don't have cats. Two nights ago I looked out and saw a calico I've never noticed in the neighborhood crouched down in front of Walkers Low, glazed look on its face, licking the almost non-existent foliage. Last year I found Walkers Low and Nepeta racemosa 'Little Titch' (which I like better) either flattened or shredded so many times I've been considering taking them out this Spring.

I bought 4" plants last year for 1.99 each. I have taken some cuttings and they are rooting as we speak. I also bought a nepeta tuberosa from Annies anuals and I cut it back to get it bushier and push some energy into the roots because that pesky Texas summer is coming. Any way they are rooting too. Very easy to root. They are resisting my pulling on them in less than a week.

I got Walkers Low from Bluestone one year, expensive yes but pretty hardy-two did well,but one died . I complained to Bluestone and they sent THREE more, all of which survived, so I now have five. Looks like they survived the winter of 2008-2009.

Echinacheamaniac,

I don't know if I am misunderstanding you or if you misunderstood the Bluestone Catalog. In any case, I just ordered this plant myself. Yes, you must order 3, but you get all 3 plants for a total of $16.95. They are not priced separately.

Pauline - I understand but I just want one. Why should I be only allowed to buy 3. That seems wasteful. I can go to High Country Gardens and buy just one. I'm ordering several different plants. Paying that much for 2 extra that I don't want keeps me from being able to buy 2 other varieties. I love High Country Gardens. They have it too!

I love Bluestone for their variety and good service. I've only had a problem once in all of my orders and they promptly replaced it. But occasionally I do find that I only want one plant, not three. Last year I asked them the same about an aster, I just didn't need three.

If you already have a Bluestone order, you might call and ask if you can buy one for 3/16.95.

I also feel compelled to defend Bluestone. I think they are the best company going and for the most part their prices are reasonable. This is just the way they sell many of their plants. I find it a good deal. Anyway, Walker's low is actually easy to start from seed and for me seeds itself around pretty freely.

I agree that Bluestone is a reliable company. However their policy of requiring the purchase of 3 plants means I won't shop with them very often.

I have a lot of Nepeta Walker's Low. I purchased it all at a good price at big box stores or the local garden center (or both). This is a plant that I've often seen on close-out, too. I definitely would not pay top dollar for this one. I also am a cat owner.

This plant usually needs dividing every 2-3 years, because it will flop from the center if you don't. I have to do mine every other year...if I miss a year, it flops. Because of that, I'm sure that you can probably find some Nepeta Walker's Low here on the trade forum, or even for postage.

My cat does love this plant. I have an indoor cat and on the rare event that he sneaks out during the garden season, I invariably will find him in or on the nepeta. This normally sweet-mannered cat actually bit me once when I picked him up out of the nepeta, because he wanted to stay there. This was the only time in 13 years that the cat bit me, so it does speak to his great desire to be with the nepeta! Unless you have tons of cats yourself or in your neighborhood, your nepeta will be fine. Even when my cat rolled on it, I couldn't even tell he'd done so by the next day. Of course, every cat is different, so I suppose some might roll in it so roughly as to do damage. Even so, the plant is very resilient and can be cut back only to get a nice fresh set of blooms in a couple of weeks. I usually cut mine back at least 1x each season.

Nepeta Walker's Low is one of my all-time favorite plants. Tough and beautiful and long blooming. IÂve had it for maybe 4 years. All of you who grow this already know, but for the benefit of those who are considering it, I will say that the name "Low" does not refer to its height. ItÂs a tall plant. "Walker's Low" is the name of a garden. When I bought it I thought the name meant it was going to be short.

I prevent flopping in this way: following instructions found on the forums here, I cut down tomato cages into several sections. One bottom section with 2 rings left and long legs for this plant: legs pushed into the ground up to the first ring. Let plant grow through. Side branches may be outside the top ring but thatÂs fine, because the center stays upright and the ring stays hidden.

FWIW, I bought it thinking my cat would like it. I demonstrated it to her, brought her up to it, even crunching a leaf and presenting it to her. She sniffed and pulled back like I had tried to burn her, giving me a poisonous look of disgust. She has avoided the plant and no other cat in the neighborhood has shown any interest. Maybe sheÂs a fast food cat, prefers hers processed and packaged.

I second linnea56's comment that 'Walker's Low' is NOT a low plant. I was fooled myself for several years and was annoyed that it was so floppy. It bloomed well for me but not for a very long time. Cutting it back didn't make it re-bloom either. I finally gave it away to use the garden space for something more productive. Each to his (or her) own I guess. I must admit it was trouble-free, though, and quite drought tolerant.

ontnative- I did the same thing. It is no longer allowed in my garden. What a wide flopper.

I have had some for 4 years or so undivided and they do not flop over at all in the center or open up in the center. They do spread quite a bit though as they bloom. I usually cut them back hard at least once over the season.

A lot could depend on the sun/shade and other growing conditions. I'll try it and see how it does for me in full sun.

Good Luck! Mine is also in full sun. I swear it's the best thing I've bought in the last 4 years. If it died tomorrow I'd run right out and buy another. To see it blooming next to a succession of pink and peach dayliles, and then pink, rose, or peach lilies, is to take your breath away.

Some of mine are going into their fifth year, in full sun, and yeah, I was also fooled by the "Low"--I planted them at the front of the border, for edging. Whoops, didn't know they reached up to two feet tall! I'm waiting for my young roses behind them to finally surpass them in height (hopefully this year). I attempted to divide them last year by digging up the whole clump first, but I needed a chainsaw. This year I left them in the ground and just sliced through their midsections with a shovel (and my full weight, jumping up and down) and removed half to divide--much easier. I cut them back all the time, and they're great rebloomers for me--almost never out of bloom, in fact, if you stagger the areas you're cutting back.

Walker's Low is the name of a garden, not the size! :-) Expect up to 3' high and wide in bloom. Shear it after blooms using cordless electric clippers to make the trim an easy task.

Walker's Low is on the left side of the stepping stones in my outer garden: {{gwi:199908}}From my garden

Cameron-Thanks for the pic and info. I'm going like this plant for sure!

Nepeta is one of my favorite perennials and I write about it quite often on my blog. I was at Lowe's in Chapel Hill the other day and they had big pots of Walker's Low. I can't remember the price, but I think it was between $5-7 per pot.

Cameron

I guess I'm one the few who don't love this plant. I'm going to take the suggestion offered and use tomato cages to help the flopping this year.
I really can't stand how they flop. I probably have about 13 plants. I do cut them back, and then they grow again and flop all over the ground and my other plants. I'd say it's the highest maintnance perennials I own. It takes a lot of time to cut back all those floppers and then again at the end of summer.
They have one more chance this summmer, then they are done for.

Jody

I have seen 6 hills giant nepeta sold as Walkers low often. 6 hills is a flopper. Maybe your soil is richer than it likes and that is causing it to flop.

Hallson Gardens has it for $6.50 and you can buy just one.

kentstar

I didn't read every single reply, so this may have been covered. I got three of this variety of catmint from Bluestone last fall. As always with this nursery, they were healthy, but very very tiny. I've not seen them in box stores in my area, but the local nurseries have them. I paid under $10.00 for this one in this picture and it was huge when I got it. Hoping to divide it this year if all goes well. (I was looking for a closeup, but couldn't find one. Obviously, it is the plant in front of the statue.) {{gwi:199910}}