I never thought about it, but it might be true. I have several garden areas and although the stray kittehs poop in the flowers (a lot!) I have never seen cat poops in either of the two herb gardens.

Does anyone know if Lupine will grow under (or near) Black Walnut trees? I’ve searched and found lists of things that will and won’t grow there, but Lupine aren’t on either list.

While the ground is still too cold here to plant, I have a lot of extra work to do this year before any plants/seeds go in the ground.

Last weekend, while experiencing sustained hurricane-force winds, my backyard fence was blown down, and worst of all, my pride and joy, my golf practice area was destroyed. The fence is strewn over the large flower bed and he fence AND the golf practice area debris are covering the veggie garden area.

OMG! I’m so sorry realist, sounds like a real mell of a hess. If we were neighbors, I’d come help.

Goodness, I am glad you are OK.

Thanks, MsDaisy and SueDB. Luckily none of the trees were uprooted (although many were around town) although there are a lot of branches on the ground as well, and a gazillion pine cones.

It'll just take some time and patience and lotsa work, but I'll get 'er done eventually.

Couple of weeks ago, had the snow/freezing rain/snow/ice storm trick. The trees got so top heavy with ice that the leaf (not fir) trees almost all broke their tops from the weight. There are a couple of weird looking Douglas Fir in the neighborhood. I'll see if I have a pic around. I was too busy staying warm to take a bunch of pics.

Thanks, Estiveo . I'm getting catnip this afternoon! Both my kittehs are big fans of the nip.

I haz a sad.

Me too. Sorry realist.

Thanks, Dawg.

I haz a sad but also...

Just think, now you can make those improvements you've been thinking about but were just too much trouble!

Or he could make improvements to my house.

Methinks I know what improvements the lass has in mind.

Do you have room for a putting green?

Not with the planned expansion to accommodate the new walk-in shoe closet.

Ms. Daisy:

Lupine doesn't like being near any trees. Lupine likes sunny, rocky, scrubby, grassy, soil-poor wastelands.

I do know of one spectacular field near me where they bloom about a month later than anywhere else and it's like a sea of purple...cattle are involved, as is a creek running right down the middle of the pasture.

FWIW, teh purple lupines are blooming now where I'm at, about 3 weeks early. The white lupines follow when the purple ones are dying out and the yellow ones appear not long after that.

In other wildflower news, I saw a new one I've never seen before the other day. Bright red, and there were several of them on this hillside, but they're on an area of road that it's not safe for me to try and take a photo...I'll keep looking, they gotta be somewhere else that I can take a pic.

My kitties preferred catmint to catnip. It's prettier and blooms with purple flowers most of the summer. Doesn't grow rampantly like catnip. It forms a big fat ball.

Wait, what? Are catnip and catmint not the same thing? I has a confuzzled.

Catnip and Catmint are both Nepeta - but Catnip is an herb. It has very small white flowers and is grown for its leaves.
Catmint is a perennial flowering plant. It is related to catnip but is grown for its large purple flowers.
Catnip is a LOT stronger and can smell a little "skunky" when fresh. Catmint leaves have a more floral/minty scent.
I grow both - I love the catmint flowers and I love the scent of the leaves. "Walkers Low" is a really nice catmint and it flowers in partial shade.
Of my 10 cats only 1 (Ramses) likes the catmint at all. But even he likes catnip better.
If you are trying to attract cats go for the catnip. If you have a spot in sun or partial shade and want a nice perennial catmint is very nice.
Hope that helps!

Gotta lurve learning new stuff on teh Fogbow. Thanks, Insomnia, I did not know that. Now I do. You rock! I'll try and 'splain it to my cats, but you know how cats are.

Catmint and Catnip

Actually Insomnia they're both members of the mint family. I regard them as fraternal twins.

I think catnip, nepeta cataria, is ugly and very weedy.

Catmint, nepeta x faasenii, is lovely and fairly drought tolerant. Some varieties and grow to 4 feet high and 4 feet around.

However, we had a cat that preferred catnip and would ignore the catmint. The other cats would go bonkers with the catmint and ignored the nip. grow the nip in a pot if you don't want it to escape. The catmint makes a pretty addition to your rose garden.

I've never had a problem with catnip escaping, but I have heavy clay soil. Plus the kittehs eat and roll in it so much they tend to crush it. By the end of the summer it's usually pretty dead. I have to replant every year.
I do love catmint near roses! They make a lovely combination.
I always plant my mints in the ground - but in a large pot with the bottom knocked out of it. I leave the rim about 5 inches above the soil so the mint can't get over or under the pot. I just wished I learned that trick before I planted the evil Lemon Balm. It is obviously bent on world domination - starting with my yard!