Super Salvias 2014..

Salvia cacaliifolia.................

 

Would you like to make a stab at your Top Ten list?

 

OK. Subject to change as new ones open up it is as follows (I'll add photos for newbies to the thread);

1] Easily my favourite is S.discolor.....................


Blooms from spring, all through summer and autumn up to the first frosts. Tender. Terrefic smelling foliage.

(and in no particular order)
2] S.forrskoalii (spelling?).....................


Has a set blooming period, but when in bloom it is superb! @nibor says that it's a prolific self seeder.

3] An oldie but a goodie - S.patens...................


4] Black and Blue...................


Reliably hardy for me. Great colours.

5] S.confertiflora....................


No idea as to hardiness as I lifted it last year. That said it was in a pot in a sheltered spot all last winter and blooming up until christmas almost. A great splash of colour and standing 1.5 metres tall this year.

6] Very close to the top of my list is S.dolichantha....................


Got through the winter of 2013/14 easily, it remains to be seen what will happen in a harsh winter. Strange growth habit - from a basal clump of leaves four flower spikes emerge at 90° intervals, go out a bit and then head upwards up to a height of about 80cm. Something of a gem IMO!

7] Salvia urica..............


Seed grown but tender according to Robin Middleton. Just a great colour, good height (about one metre at the moment in a pot) and branching out nicely.

8] S.microphylla alba..................


Came through 20113/14 easily enough and has grown like boogery this year. Real good doer (like the red form) and if it's as hardy it will be the better plant simply because of the colour.

9] S.stolonifera.................


The early flower stems were a little bare as far as bloom went, but as they've got established more stems are coming along which look a lot fuller. The plant in slightly damp shade is doing the best which is useful. Grown from seed from Robins I have no idea as to hardiness.

10] Salvia buchananii..................


Another new one this year. I just really like it!

All the above could change by this time next year as I have quite a few still coming along from seed.


What we really need is for @nibor to share his top ten with us. I would recommend his seed list as I had a very high germination rate and there is a good choice of the less common species.

 

Speaking of seed - Ive just collected some from Royal Bumble if anyone wants a few - Ive also added "Take hard wood cuttings from the others" to my ever growing list of things to do..

 

I would certainly be up for some!

 

No problem - Im collecting seed from some of the others too, will put some aside for you.

Meanwhile, lovely day in Oxfordshire today, and another visit to the market...

--
Hot Lips - nice !

 

the humble nemorosa never gets the star treatment on this thread - so here's one for the nemorosas - blooming troopers that they are.

 

That's a lovely compact bloomer Colinn. Any seeds to swap?
Jenny

 

You are quite right!

 

Salvia Dyson's Crimson looking nice in today's light:

and a bright cerise pink one. Got 3 cuttings planted 19/08/2014 - all looking "good to go" and well rooted.


I love the blackcurrant smell of the leaves of these macrophyllia types and I will be dotting more of them in next year's border. They flower for along time and can cope with most adverse weather conditions,
Jenny

 

@Jenny namaste - I found this grape coloured one a couple of weeks ago on Flickr...................


The photo is in this set which you will probably enjoy.

I'm pretty sure that this is her ebay store.........................

http://stores.ebay.com/salvialicious/

 

That's nice Longk - have you sourced it yet? I also liked "Peach Kisses"
I saw Salvia jamensis "Stormy Pink" at Sissinghurst a couple of weeks ago - I could find a
home for that one,
Jenny

 

I think that it was just a choice seedling Jenny.

Check out the rest of the sets.....................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/salvias/sets/

 

Worth watching gardeners world from last night - visit to William dysons salvia collection

 

Starts at about 6.15 minutes. For @Jenny namaste about 7.15 is "Nachtvlinder".