Spring in the garden!

Just a few pictures of the back border, which is loving the Spring sunshine today!

 

What a difference the sun makes.

 

looking good - it really is spring now.

 

Hi PeterS,
re: SALVIAS
I am starting to get a bit hooked on Salvias even though the garden is postage stamp size so I have to cherry pick. I have managed to overwinter a Salvia Patens "C ambridge blue" tuber and it is sprouting well now . Will replant in a few weeks. Quite chuffed wi' mesel too as I saved 4 seeds from it's 2 flowers which I sowed a month ago and are now happily living in the south facing bathroom (or "potting shed with a bath in it" says HWMBO'd)!! What are your 3 favourites?
Jenny namaste

 

Hi Jenny


I think one of the best is Salvia microphylla, along with gregii and their cross xjamensis - which are all very similar. They flower for a very long period and will be perfectly hardy for you.


The other is S. 'Mystic Spires', again long flowering and hardy. Its a sterile hybrid - so you won't find seeds, but they used to sell them in garden centres as plugs at this time of year.


Possibly the loveliest is S leucantha. It will take a few degrees of frost, but will need winter protection. It looks and feels like velvet.


I also like S. involucrata, which is also not very hardy. The flowers are weird, but great fun.

 

Ahhhhh, all glorious Peter. I have a rooted cutting of Salvia leucantha that was given to me early last November. Also in the bathroom - is has 2 little flowers on it!Bless!! Have you viewed the specialist Salvia grower's gallery ? Loads and loads of amazing colours , including almost BLACK. very rare and not available here. Oh, the site is "Robins Salvias". I keep it in "favourites" and treat myself to a browse from time to time. Thank you for showing me these,
Jenny namaste

 

Wouldn't mind getting a Salvia elegans actually..

 

Stephen - Salvia elegans is lovely, but it tends to flower over the winter and needs protection. I find winter flowering tender plants difficult to accomodate - so I am afraid to say I dropped it.

Jenny - Robin Middleton has a lovely site, and its a great source of information. He has been good enough to sent me seeds of quite a number of more unusual Salvias.

Another one I really like is Salvia sclarea - its a biennial, and consequently a bit more touble - but worth it.

 

There's one at Ness botanic gardens that flowers from October to December every year without fail, before the leaves fall off. it's quite large.. photo below.



it doesn't die down as such like most Salvias, but it is deciduous. Of course it does depend on the climate.

 

The palms look great Stephen, I took the plunge last week and bought a couple of phormiums to replace the ones I lost last winter.
Great salvia pictures Peter
Stephen that last picture looks very like one I used to have, pineapple sage, it always flowered late in the year, may be wrong though lots that look similar, Peters the salvia expert

 

Jenny - I have Salvia discolor, probably my absolute favourite!


Maybe we start a Salvia thread?

 

What an absolutely spiffing idea! Yes pleeeease. Love this one too **. I get turned on by black flowers or foliage. If you have a seed or two**......

 

Done it!!

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/super-salvias.41788/

Got the link to the black Salvia on Robins site?

 

What a beauty. Is there any chance you could post a photo which captures all of the plant?

Thanks