SUPER SALVIAS 2020

@Glynne Williams I've never had seed from "Black and Blue" I think some salvias are reluctant to set seed in the UK. They also only produce two seeds per flower.
I have had seed from S greggii among others though. In fact I must start looking for seed on my plants soon.

 

This year seems exceptional regarding setting seed. My Patens always produce a lot' so much so that I've got two dozen seedlings to plant out this year! Should be an interesting bed! Jezebel has similarly produced and the garden is full of them. Just one or two others but four or five seedlings so far. I assume that many hybrids can't produce seed although those produced through deliberate hybridisation should I suppose. Significantly cross breeding happens naturally and produces plants with real hybrid vigour. They seem to derive from 'seedlings found growing'. Hot-lips is one such plant as I understand it. So-called 'wild' plants are obviously naturally occurring hybrids originally? From my point of view I'm not capable of attempting cross breeding but consider my habit of close planting to aid movement of pollen!! Salvias seem to be magnets for bees and hoverflies anyway and the latter are growing in number just now in my garden. I think I mentioned before that I hardly ever dead head which I consider is the main cause of seed production if not of successive flowering periods.

 

My wife has really taken over the garden following years of simply going into the garden to hang out washing, oh .... and cutting the lawn! So this year she's aware of seeds-from-salvias! Out she goes with large envelopes, then reappearing with them stuffed and labelled with salvia bits! I let them dry a little, well so much good stuff (westerns) on the tele so the envelopes line up alongside my cinema recliner! Actually I've planted some already (Jezebel) we've got Icing Sugar, Bluenote, and Midnight to plant when dry, oh and Neon! Let you know how germination gets on!

 

To the above add : Royal Bumble (don't know how hardy here yet as original still in pot with half dozen cuttings - all flowering!) Buchanii. Most are still drying in their envelopes but there are some seeds to be seen in all of them in the bottom amongst stalks!
Can say that I'm proud of this year's 'show' of salvias though general 'colour' is red/pink.
Phyllis's Fancy, huge plant (potted on to bigger pot after overwintering in conservatory) has grown magnificently and though outside is now being taken over by the dreaded whitefly! A real pest here and though attempted to eradicate using some predatory wasps a few years ago in the heated conservatory/lean-to but waste of money due to fluctuating temps that year! I've subsequently gone back to using Pyrethrum which at least has allowed me to Gromit tomatoes. I still need to spray regularly however and as mentioned above my head gardener has spotted them outside! She is well trained! Wonderful! Still pegs out washing between digging spuds and, today, planting out this year's Patens seedlings. Actually decided to put up notice I bought before lockdown, You are entering Barbara's Garden!
Double quadruple tasking - she's now calling me for lunch! 54 years married - I am so grateful!

 

Wish I could transfer my IPad pics onto site as now amazing (sorry to be so big-headed) I'm particularly fond of Amethyst Lips, about three or four cream pots of cuttings (we use Elmlea cream for its low fat content and length of pot!) planted in pot over wintered then planted out in large (expensive as I remember!) bowl and for once it's worked! It now really reminds me of hot lips (not really like the two colours but love it's fecundity!) Not sure I can leave this one out overwinter mind you?
Re: the cream pots, we go through lots and bought a Step drill which drills great holes in thin plastic - I've even found some with hexagonal ends that fit in my little electric screwdriver! Should be very handy. Wish there was a one for drilling ceramics as I've taken to drilling holes (small ones) in pots designed for indoors! Have to buy saucers of course but take time to drill and obviously wear out!

 

Salvia 'Nachtvlinder' in the sunshine.

Nick

 

Great picture! Yes a fine salvia and I'm finding it hardy though no seeds yet!

 

Jezebel germinating well yet again! There are many planted out from2017 most have survived our winter though our clay has had masses of compost and every salvia gets masses of grit when we plant and wood chips/ garden compost mulch every autumn.
The 'gardener'! Found a pot of Ruby Lips yesterday! I remember buying a collection of salvia plugs (from Hayloft) which I potted up last year, and obviously forgot, or she moved and forgot, so I'll have to take some cuttings and find a bigger pot for it! Not sure re hardiness but first year plants go in greenhouse anyway, though that in second year?! Must look it up!

 

Oops! Not Ruby lips but Cherry Lips! And they are considered semi-hardy so can stay in shelter! I'm getting older!

 

I just love the scent of mine as I brush past. I picked up a variety in Hilliers called 'Vibe Ignition Purple' a few weeks ago. It was marked as due to be shown at Chelsea this yr as a new variety. Don't know if that's true but don't care. Its the most vibrant deep fuchsia purple and smells divine

 

Wow! Did once smell sages but these days can't smell anything(no not covid!) as its happened during this year - not new or sudden change. Worst part of it is that my roses and sweet peas not having effect on me now!
Must look up Hilliers and get ' Vibe Ignition Purple' now that's a name to conjure with! Thanks for the tip!

 

@Glynne Williams. Hope you manage to locate one.

 

Thanks very much for the picture! I've contacted Hilliers but Vibe not presently on their Online list. So I've emailed them and asked about it!

 

My favourite salvia ATM, 'African Sky'. Only thing I don't like about it is that it's an H3, so it has to spend Winter in my mate's greenhouse, I usually prefer 'minimum faffage' plants. I'm going to risk overwintering my uliginosa (which isn't much hardier) outdoors here in Nottinghamshire this year, hopefully it'll survive because of the recent milder winters. If that one survives then this one might stand a chance next year.

Salvia 'African Sky' | sage 'African Sky'/RHS Gardening

Nick

 

I keep a plant in greenhouse plus some cuttings as I like this plant. For me its has weakish stems so its planted at the bottom of an old rockery where my Sylvia's, mostly, are planted, so its a good trailing base! The ones outside I mulch first with layer of pine needles, thena good 2" of wood chips from trees cut down last year. So its survived two winters (very little frost herein Shropshire)
Not taking too many chances this winter so lots of cuttings- three per cream pot!