Salvias

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David Dickinson

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #30 on: July 28, 2015, 09:08:32 AM »
Thanks Fermi. Looks like I'm going to go for it  :)
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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John J

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #31 on: August 23, 2015, 10:20:24 AM »
Salvia 'Indigo Spires' is doing quite well in our garden despite the intense heat. We do give it a bit of a drink every now and then when it looks thirsty.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2018, 02:19:46 PM by John J »
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

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Fermi

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #32 on: December 08, 2015, 01:46:45 PM »
Salvia muirrii benefitted from a trim back and getting some water in a dry spring.
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

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Charithea

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #33 on: February 25, 2018, 05:12:38 PM »
I take BAD photographs and that stops me from posting photos of flowers  which bloom in our garden as often as I would like.  However, a friend, a retired school teacher, is a good photographer so when he came to photograph the Arum sintonisii Wednesday morning I asked him to help.  The following are his snap shots

 1 and 2 Salvia leucantha which seems to be the favourite for most of my visitors.
 3 Salvia microphylla very fresh looking.
 4 and 5 Salvia indicare-growing from last year. An on going battle with baby snails that escape my daily round up.  I have also grown three others from last year's seeds as an insurance. 
6 No name as the label faded.  It is 3 years old but has not flowered yet so can not identify it. Seeds from MGS seed bank.
7. Second year in the ground.  Same story.  If anybody recognizes it from the leaves please help.  I have looked up all the Salvia names from the MGS seed bank but I am none the wiser as to their names.
8 A sea of fresh green. Includes Salvia 'Hot Lips', S. discolor, S. africana-lutea and S. greggii[/i.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2018, 05:32:45 PM by Charithea »
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

Umbrian

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #34 on: February 26, 2018, 08:23:04 AM »
I think the many varieties of Salvia make wonderful ' backbone' planting in any Mediterranean gardening with their long season of flowering in many colours, variety of form and lovely aromatic leaves. I am fortunate to have a nursery close to me that specialises in them and am steadily building up my collection. At the moment we are suffering an unusual spell of arctic weather conditions and they are all looking rather sad but I am confident they will soon be bursting into new leaf and flower.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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Charithea

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #35 on: February 26, 2018, 11:03:08 AM »
I agree with you Carol. There are so many varieties and I am discovering that they do survive here if placed in  a favourable position.  We don't get the variety here because people don't apparently ask for them.  I have acquired a few salvias at a low price in early Spring last year because they were left unsold the previous year.  They looked sad but soon recovered in the ground. I have Salvia coccinea that has been flowering all year.  It came as a seedling in the pot of the Pavonia  that I was given by Sally R two years ago. It drops seeds in the nearby pots and now I have lots.  I have introduced  Salvia officinalis and leucantha into the village church garden.  I have been asked where the leucantha can be obtained. They sell for 8 euros when they do bring them in.  I have taken 'rootings' from our own for planting in April in the New Church Garden.  I am also planning to introduce Anthony Parker too as it has proved to be a winner.  Thank you David.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2018, 08:24:35 AM by Charithea »
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

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Charithea

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #36 on: March 07, 2018, 02:12:01 PM »
I have had a wonderful present a few hours ago from my photographer friend.  He brought me a slightly snail- eaten specimen.  It is a Salvia hierosolymitana which he grew from seeds given to him by a friend who collected it from the Pentadaktylos Range in Cyprus.  Michalis, the photographer, belongs to a  group of plant lovers that collect endangered native plants.  He has given me seeds of various endangered plants a few months ago which are growing in many pots in the garden now. Unfortunately the day he arrived with them he had a slight accident and the seeds were mixed up.  Now we are identifying them as they are slowly growing.  For Michalis' efforts we gave him a Euphorbia dendroides and a Teucrium  flavum.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2018, 04:27:58 PM by Charithea »
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

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Fermi

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Salvia leucantha 'Velour White'
« Reply #37 on: April 18, 2018, 12:32:10 PM »
Salvia leucantha 'Velour White' was battered a bit last winter but is finally coming into flower now
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

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Charithea

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #38 on: April 19, 2018, 03:28:48 PM »
My apologies for not participating for a while. I have been busy.  Fermi I love the photos of your flowers.  The dew on your flowers make me nostalgic for cooler climes. I am posting a photo of my Salvia hierosolymitana.  When it arrived as a small plant it showed snail damage but it is flourishing now.  The second photo is of my new Salvia hierosolymitana seedlings sown this year. The sticks are to stop my cats rolling on them.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

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Charithea

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #39 on: April 23, 2018, 12:26:31 PM »
I have finally identified one of the Salvias whose photo I have posted on the 23th February (no. 6)  It has flowered a few days ago.  It is Salvia interrupta. 
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

David Dickinson

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Re: Salvias, Salvia thymoides
« Reply #40 on: May 02, 2018, 01:12:29 AM »
Salvia thymoides in flower today.  Small scale with tiny leaves and tiny flowers. Hanging over the side of a pot it adds interest without being the centre of attention. Survived over 40°C in the summer and -7°C this winter. So, small in stature but obviously a lot tougher than it looks.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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Alisdair

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #41 on: May 02, 2018, 07:34:21 AM »
A lovely little thing, David; presumably you have to give it water through those searing summers, or does it go dormant then?
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

David Dickinson

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #42 on: May 02, 2018, 09:15:07 AM »
Yes I give it some water over the hottest months. I don't have a fixed approach to watering. If a plant is showing signs of distress I give it some water. We have plenty in Rome. Otherwise I leave well alone. That does mean that I have to be careful in selecting plants for a pot which have similar water needs. It is combined with Nepeta (racemosa 'Little Titch'?), a purple flowered Salvia (greggii type but unidentified) and an orange-flowered Sphaeralcea fendleri (var. elongata?)

I killed my Salvia clevelandii last summer by giving it too much water due to a bad combination in that respect. A favourite of mine but I do have some seedlings from it. Are gardeners like parents where having favourites is a definite no-no? Perhaps the other plants willed it to death out of sibling jealousy?
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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John J

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #43 on: September 08, 2018, 08:52:56 AM »
We have been watching Charithea's Salvia mexicana 'Limelight' for several days waiting for the flower to open. It started the process this morning but my efforts to catch its true colours was not very successful. The best that could be achieved was the lime green on one photo and the dark blue on the other!  :-[
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

Umbrian

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #44 on: September 09, 2018, 07:05:21 AM »
Nevertheless that is spectacular- not only the flowering spike but also the leaves.
The variety of Salvia on offer now is mind boggling - yesterday I visited the annual 'Murabilia' plant fair in Lucca with David and found it difficult to decide which new ones to add to my growing collection. Since David brought me rooted cuttings of several I decided to spend my money on other unusual plants that I rarely see on offer in Italy unless visiting such fairs. Am looking forward to unpacking the car and rediscovering them - too tired last night after a 12 hour day. Thanks David both for the plants and your knowledgeable company - such friendships that result from membership of the MGS are invaluable.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.