This is my second post on flowers based on members requesting that I include flowers in my newsletters. With a smile I say "If you did not vote, you cannot complain".
First off, learn from my mistakes. Salvia can be an annual, biennial, or a perennial. The first plant I purchased was a perennial so I assumed, and I should NOT have assumed, that ALL salvia were perennials. I AM THAT CLUELESS on flowers.
READ THE LABEL then use your smart phone to look it up before purchasing EVERY TIME. Know what you are getting. Check the zones depending on where you live. I try my best to select plants that can be exposed to zones 8B to 10 because I live in Lehigh and the future might expect extremes.
Salvia family includes sages that are both culinary (edible) and not edible. The culinary sage Salvia officinalis grows very well in our winters but most often is defeated by our peak summer heat and humidity.
As a new flower keeper, I can only comment on the salvia that I MOST love so far this year in Karen's Garden of Giverny (which is only a couple of months old). The variety Sallyfun™ Blue Emotion Salvia farnacea is my favorite. These attract bumblebees. Lots and lots of bumblebees. Having this plant (and others) near my edible garden has significantly helped with pollination of my cucumbers, squash, and melons and I highly recommend including a bee plant in your garden if you are having troubles with pollination.
BTW. (By the way) I have had several stand offs with bumble bees protecting their territory and personally found that, literally, keeping your head down might be the answer. They look you in the face as they protect what is theirs. I am so humbled by their bravery and will always bow to the bumble bee.
In addition to Sallyfun I have two varieties of Russian Sage, one of Texas Sage, and the annual salvia (see below) growing in my gardens.
My planting "theory" is to position plants in waves so one plant is never the answer unless it is a focal point. Clumps are preferably in odd numbers: 3, 5, 7, 9... because it is more visually interesting. The waves are to be staggered and not perfect.
All my salvia will get a haircut or a trim after their flowers are spent (gone by/done/ugly). I am experimenting by taking a handful of the plant from above then trimming it evenly below the spent blooms versus the SLOW, calming route by deadheading (removing by clipping each and every dead flower off individually). I also trim back the stems that have fallen to the ground even if they are beautiful because a pruner I am.
Here is one of MANY mistakes I made this past week... I was so excited to get mature salvia for 50 cents each on the discount table that I did not check on the factors noted above. Not that 50 cents multiplied by 20 plants will kill me, but in the long run I don't want disappointment over annuals I fall in love with that must be replaced.
If you can add to this with any Salvia knowledge, please respond to this newsletter. Flowers are a new love that I know nothing about.
