[David Dickinson]

I have tried to grow this from seed a couple of times. This year the bad weather at Christmas thwarted my attempts. I was in the UK when my little plastic greenhouse was blown over. The S carduacea had already germinated when I left. On my return I found one pot of waterlogged seedlings all dead. A friend had brought the seeds back from the States for me and, luckily, he had brought some back too for the lady who has an enormous collection of  Salvias at http://www.leessenzedilea.com/. At a recent plant fair she very kindly gave me 2 of the plants she had expertly raised and the first flowers appeared yesterday with more again this morning. With any luck I will have seed to keep these annuals in my garden for many years to come.

[Charithea]

Good morning David. What a beautiful sight. Your posting of the Salvia sent me to the shed were I am keeping some of my seedling.  Sadly my Salvia carduacea has not germinated. I checked my notes and it seems I had seeds of this salvia from different sources but as yet no luck.  Of course one never knows. I might yet be surprised.

[Alisdair]

David, what an amazing catalogue she has. I think I ought to add her to our plant suppliers list.

[David Dickinson]

Yes Alisdair she has an amazing collection, some of her own hybrids too and is extremely knowledgeable. I thought I had included her details in the list of suppliers in Italy which I sent a few years ago. Her English web pages say that she posts throughout the EU. Sorry for that omission.

[Alisdair]

David, You're quite right, you did indeed tell me about her ages ago, and she's already on the list.