Calamintha nepeta Marvelette Blue - Lesser calamint

Calamintha nepeta 'Marvelette Blue' is a small Lesser Calamint, captivating for its endless flowering and aromatic foliage. This easy-to-grow perennial naturally adopts a compact, rounded habit. Its finely downy, greyish-green foliage releases a very pronounced fragrance, with hints of fresh mint. Its airy flowering consists of spikes of small, violet-blue flowers. They are very rich in nectar, they attract numerous pollinators and bloom from summer until autumn. In the garden, 'Marvelette Blue' finds a perfect place both in sunny borders and in rockeries. It thrives in Mediterranean climates, while also being very cold-hardy, down to -15°C or even more under good conditions. It can also be grown in pots, like other aromatic plants.

This recent selection, created in 2014, was awarded a Fleuroselect Gold Medal in 2016 for its many qualities. It is a variety of Calamintha nepeta, also called Lesser Calamint, which belongs to the large botanical family Lamiaceae. This family groups approximately 7500 species, including many aromatic plants such as Mint, Thyme, and Rosemary, as well as ornamental plants like Phlomis. The type species C. nepeta is naturally found in southern Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant forming a compact, well-rooted crown. It grows in dry, stony, calcareous soils. In these southern regions, its foliage can remain evergreen in winter, whereas it usually disappears under harsher climates. 
The small Lesser Calamint 'Marvelette Blue' develops a low, dense and very regular cushion in spring. Its fine, square-sectioned stems lengthen and branch quickly to form a rounded clump reaching about 30 to 35 cm in height and spread. The tiny, slightly toothed leaves are covered with a fine down and have a dark green hue with grey reflections. They are very fragrant, releasing a powerful scent at the slightest touch, reminiscent of mint, sweet and intensely refreshing. Flowering begins around June and can continue until October, depending on the climate, sometimes with a pause during the hottest part of summer. Extremely generous, it consists of countless small flowers, slightly larger than those of the type species, grouped into spike-like inflorescences. Their bright colour oscillates between deep blue and mauve, and their shape is typical of the Lamiaceae, formerly called Labiatae due to the lips that make up the flowers.

Calamintha nepeta 'Marvelette Blue' is particularly well-suited to dry southern gardens, but it also succeeds further north, provided it is planted in very well-draining soil that remains dry in winter, as moisture increases sensitivity to frost. Appreciating poor, calcareous or stony soils, it will integrate perfectly into rockeries, on slopes, along paths or borders, as well as on dry stone walls. To create a dry garden, pair it with clumps of Sedum, Stonecrop, whose foliage comes in a multitude of forms and colours, and whose flowers also present a beautiful range of hues. Goniolimon collinum, a Statice with evergreen leaves whose summer flowering forms a white cloud above the vegetation, will also be a perfect companion. Remember to add a few large stones to perfect your scene and place a few taller shrubs further back, such as Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Blue Steel', with beautiful bluish flowering and equally fine grey-white foliage. In the background, a clump of Cotinus, whose rounded leaves will contrast with the narrower silhouettes, will add a colourful touch.