Hi, Dee. (Trying to creep my way back into the gardenings threads...) . For me the biggest difference between the two is longevity. Catmint is totally carefree. Other than heavy clay, it lives for years. As for the splaying, you can trim it back by half per Well-Tended Perennial Garden to cut down on or remove the splaying. The looks of the splaying aren't really an issue for me, but it has covered up some salvias nearby in the past which caused there demise because it blocked the sun. They were planted too close. Veronicas have all been short-lived for me.

Also, bumble bees LOVE LOVE LOVE catmint. The gentle blueish purple color has also proved to be more complimentary that Veronica.

There are a number of catmints. I've grown N. 'Walkers Low' in both very drysandy soil and now in very heavy wet clay and it does well in both. 'Walkers Low' is a spreader by definition. After the first bloom flush begins to fade, new upright growth comes up in the center of the plant. Then you cut the older spreading growth and the new growth comes up and spreads (splays) and flowers. Some catmints are smaller and stay upright but I've never grown them.

Thanks guys. I'm liking the Cats Pajamas nepeta being discussed on the other thread. I think I will try one and then if I like it (and it likes me lol) I'll get a couple to run along my long border.

Thanks for the input!

:)

Dee

Nice surprise to see you Deanna~ Hope all is well with you. 🤗

Dee, I think the splaying is manageable and not inevitable and Nepeta is one of those perennials that blooms for a long time, can be deadheaded for another flush of bloom, although smaller. It doesn't have any particular difficulties or pests. It is very easy to multiply. I stuck a stem in some water and a week later full of roots. I've divided and moved it around a few times and it is quick to recover. I haven't tried many Veronicas. I do like the short spreaders, like 'Georgia Blue'.

Nepata and Veronica are completely different plants, both in bloom and plant habit; they're not interchangeable in my book.

I have a NOID nepeta I've had for a very long time, it's by some rugosa roses and just does its thing with no input from me other than a shearing after first flush of bloom. I just cut it back to ground level, takes just a couple minutes. It grows back very quickly and stays in a relatively nice mound of foliage if I do this; if I don't it's a sprawly mess. I don't know if this is the case with the newer cultivars, but like I said I've had it a long time and don't know what it is but obviously it's an oldie-but-goodie.

I used to have Siberian catmint (Nepeta siberica), which is a tall catmint. I ended up taking it out. I don't remember specifically why, it could have been a situation where I couldn't find the right spot for it or it got on my nerves or something like that because I do recall liking it, at least when I first got it. Who knows. Now talk about stinky foliage -- P-U!!

I've never found a veronica that is anywhere near as good as "Lavender Charm" (aka "Blue Charm"). This one was waist-high with long, tapered, graceful wands of light purple blooms -- exactly what a good veronica should be. The modern cultivars just don't have this quiet elegance IMO. The ones on the market today tend to have stiffly upright blooms that look rather forced and contrived to my eye; I just don't care for them in general, especially the short cultivars with longer spikes. I've purchased and subsequently tossed a handful of cultivars for this reason, along with the fact I don't find them easy to place because the bloom period can be short and the foliage is nothing to write home about to earn its keep. Lavender Charm's foliage was terrific, though; the foliage of the modern cultivars is just...different. I can't put my finger on exactly how it's different, but it is. Some veronicas have downright ugly foliage -- "Sunny Border Blue" I'm looking at you.

I do have "Marietta", the blooms of which I actually do like, but I've moved it so many times because I just can't find the right spot for it. I finally moved my 3 plants out back under the fruit trees where I can just leave it be and enjoy it -- I didn't want to toss them because the blooms of these are a gorgeous, rich deep color and overall the plant habit is fairly decent with light re-bloom if dead-headed. Now watch -- they'll take off like crazy back there and knock my socks off and I'll want to move them back up by the house :0p

I used to have "Charlotte", a white one with variegated foliage. I tossed it, it was meh. Couldn't see the white blooms against the foliage, and the foliage didn't hold up well.

Note I refer to "Lavender Charm" in the past tense. That's because for some boneheaded reason I tossed them when I re-did the bed at my other house, and I've been kicking myself since. I STILL lament the fact I can't find this cultivar anywhere. If anyone has this one and can send me cuttings I would be so appreciative, I'll pay for postage!!

Oh, "Icicle" is another really good one, but it's an oldie so might be hard to find. Very surprisingly I did stumble on it at a nursery last summer but didn't get it, I'm not in the market for a white veronica. Part of me things if I see it again I should buy it anyway just because it's one of those things I may never see again and I can always stick a clump of white somewhere :0) "Icicle" is similar in form to "Lavender Charm" but is white, and while it's similar in height is isn't quite as tall nor the blooms quite as elegant as the L.C. -- close but not not quite. Still, an outstanding white veronica if you're in the market for that.