I was thinking of getting a type of salvia for my garden this summer. I have done a bit of research on it. Do you folks have any pics of salvia's out of your gardens you care to share??
Salvia
Dawn, I wish I did. I winter sowed seeds for Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue' this week, and last season I planted Salvia nemorosa 'May Night', Salvia superba 'Rose Queen' & Salvia grahamii x s. microphylla 'Maraschino Cherry'. I'm really hoping to have some pics later this season :-)
Have you planted them in the past and found you have had good success with them??? I love the look of them in pictures.
I have May Night - would have to look for a photo. There are probably many in Plant Files. I love the color. What I don't like is that, with many Salvias, as the bloom fades, the flower spikes flop to the outside leaving a big ugly 'bald spot' (spoken as someone who shaves his head!). Deadheading helps to some degree but I would look for ones that have a more upright habit. For that reason alone, I am surprised May Night won Perennial of the Year a few years back. Here's another one I have that I like that does not flop - called 'Caradonna'.
I love salvia Victoria Blue. It is usually an annual for me - I say usually because last winter several plants did overwinter for me, and additionally I had lots of reseeders.
I originally planted it to go with my roses. Unfortunately, the Victoria bloomed about a week or so later, but mine was started from seed. A store-bought and/or greenhouse-started plant may bloom a bit earlier. Despite the mistimed blooms, I ended up loving it. It looks good with the repeat roses, and lasts well into November for me.
Here is a photo from several Novembers ago. Sorry for the poor quality - cheap camera!
Dee
I liked Victoria Blue also--pretty color, and bloomed June to November. I guess it would be an annual for you though, Dawn.
Victor, that Caradonna looks very nice. How long/when does it bloom?
Similar to others - late May through early July for the primary bloom and sporadically after that, especially if deadheaded.
I didn't know if I could get Victoria Blue to overwinter. It looks great with the roses, Digger. good idea for a nice blue.
grampapa, if you are a lazy gardener like me, lol, you just might be lucky enough to have it overwinter! I wasn't expecting it to. I just never cleaned up the annuals in that bed that year (well, I did cut them back a bit, but never got around to actually pulling them out) and the salvia plants overwintered.
This past fall I left them in on purpose, and was really hopeful what with the extremely warm start to winter which we had. Now that it's frigid outside with no snow cover, I'm not so sure. Maybe I should have mulched better as a bit of insurance.
Oh well, I did shake seeds around the bed, and I have a few that I've started too, just in case.
BTW, in this same bed are some pale yellow and pale apricot colored roses. I can't decide which of the three different colored roses goes best with the Victoria - I love all the combinations!
:)
Dee
Dee, I'm definitely lazy LOL problem with that is that I never get around to mulching either.
LOL, grampapa, well, you caught me. If I were being honest, I would have said, "Maybe I should have mulched". Period. I tried to make myself look better by saying "mulched BETTER".
Can't blame me for trying, lol!
:)
Dee
We received Salvia(Blue Flame)from High Country Gardens in NM They arrived wilted from stress but look to be coming along the pictures in the catalog are awesome a new hybrid they did.
This message was edited May 8, 2008 3:25 PM
I bought some blue salvia from high country gardens a couple of years back but a stray cat kept on sleeping in it every nite! it was almost like catnip! I finally had to fence in the salvia because every morning I found it flattened out! I gave up on it and refuse to grow it again... the cat disappeared last year - I'm hoping it's nine lives ran out!! ☺
Salvia Rose grown from seed this spring, 1st bloom May 4th 2008.
I have perennial salvia "May Night" just bought it yesterday. want to plant it but nearly everything in the sun part of the garden is blue.
I have some ligularia comming, I'll put it at the edge of partshade sun and plant salvia near in full sun. Thanks for letting me explore my mind.
Jo Ann