[David Dickinson]

I mentioned in another posting on a different thread that my Salvia 'Phyllis' Fancy' appeared to have a mauve flower in with the normal white ones. I double checked and I found a couple more. Looking at Dyson's site https://www.dysonsalvias.com/portfolio-item/salvia-phylliss-fancy/ I read: "The furry white flowers are suffused with a lavender-blue tint which becomes more pronounced as the season progresses.". This would account for the fact that I had never seen these flowers earlier in the year.

[Umbrian]

Interesting and very pretty when you have both kinds of flower together as in your photo. 😊

[John J]

I'd like to introduce another salvia, Salvia hierosolymitana. This is native to the Eastern Mediterranean but in Cyprus it is known from only one location, the Rizokarpaso, in the far north of the island. Looking at a map of Cyprus this is the long, thin peninsular to the north east, sometimes referred to as the 'Panhandle'. They are found growing at an altitude of 100m in dry field margins, usually under Ceratonia siliqua (Carob trees). They were recorded as growing in 6 other locations between 1880 and 1962 but these have not been found despite searching. This could indicate a decline in population size and extent, probably due to agricultural activities, recreational developments and trampling. They are classified as Critically Endangered in the Red Data Book of Cyprus Flora.
They are a tall plant, with erect, square, coarsely hairy stems. Flowers are dark pink with a paler lower lip. Leaves are large, entire with wavy margins.
I'm pleased to say that the ones we have acquired seem to have settled in well and may even be increasing.

[Umbrian]

I have two Salvia indica plants both from David Dickinson planted within 6 feet of one another. One is about 4ft tall and already in bloom whilst the other has only reached about 18in and only just producing side shoots and buds. Amazing how conditions can  vary the  performance of plants , soil, surrounding competition etc. In this case though I am happy to be able to look forward to flowers over a longer period.

[Charithea]

Carole aren't Salvia indica gorgeous? I also have two now because my seedlings were growing on top of an ants' hill and this spring the ants destroyed them. I will collect new seeds soon to plant next year along the long wall. I am miffed with our soil. I have been trying to caltivate Salvia leucantha 'Midnight blue' for a few years now. David Dickinson send me rooted cuttings, I bought one from Lucca, Italy, one from Phylodasiki Greece and the last one a rooted cutting from Yiannis Orphanos. In fact I was helping him uproot it so there was not mistake.  Only the  last two survived.  The Greek plant flowered but it is not dark blue and Yiannos' one is showing the same trend. I have a few other leucanthas which are lovely but I crave for that dark blue.

[David Dickinson]

I'll get you some more cuttings Charithea but if you are expecting blue, you'll be disappointed. They are violet/purple.

[David Dickinson]

Forgot to say thanks, Charithea, for sending me the original seeds of S indica from which both my and Umbrian's plants come from. You have made two people very happy. Mine are coming up now and will be in flower very shortly. Looking forward to that :-)

[Charithea]

Thank you David for the offer of another cutting. I expected the Midnight blue colour of course but being careless with my description I called it dark blue. We had an unusually bad storm yesterday and an hour of loss of electricity but this morning we have glorious sunshine. I decided to sit in the sunshine and go through Yiannis Grylis' Salvia list. What a selection. We were supposed to be visiting his nursery in May and I had my shopping list ready. I will save it for another day. To all of you who are celebrating Easter tomorrow we send our good wishes. Ours is next Sunday.

[Umbrian]

Interesting posts Charithea and David- lovely to think we can share plants across countries and enjoy successes and failures! Happy Easter from me too😊

[John J]

David, you sent us a rooted cutting of Salvia 'Royal Bumble' and it is doing well in the ground (see first 2 photos). Thea took a cutting from it and that is thriving in a pot (see second 2 photos). So she sends her thanks.

[Umbrian]

What a joy Salvias are - many of my summer flowering ones have grown away strongly during our hotter than than normal spring and are in bud - cannot wait for the first flowers to start opening. 

[Charithea]

I am so grateful to all the people who send seeds to the Med seed bank. The Salvia seeds I received from Chantal approx 3 weeks ago have started sprouting already. I put them direct in the ground except one.  I had success last year and hope to be lucky again this year.

[David Dickinson]

I want to echo a couple of things that have been written here. First a great big thank you to Chantal who does a wonderful job of running the seed bank. My small garden is getting ever smaller as plants settle in and grow. Even so, I always have a look at what is on offer and this year got a few things including Salvia tingitana. The seeds have sprouted and are coming along nicely. Now, where shall I grow them?

Like you all, I love salvias. S 'Red Bumble' goes on and on flowering for me. And it is so easy to propagate from cuttings. It is flowering for me now. But S 'Melen' was the first to flower. It produced some seed last year and I have a couple of seedlings coming up. I wonder what colour flowers it will produce? Likewise, I have 2 or 3 seedlings coming up from Salvia 'Clotted Cream". S namaensis has both self-sown and given me seedlings from seed I sowed.  As I broke a few twigs on my S 'Phyllis' Fancy' last autumn, I pushed the broken pieces into the soil around the parent plant. Several are still green so I think I have some new plants there.

I could go on and on about Salvias but I'll stop there. Attached, photo of the first flower this year on my S 'Melen'

[Charithea]

Beautiful soft colour David. I think I was too rush to say that the salvia from Yiannos was not coming true to the original. As the flowers develop they are looking like your Salvia leucantha'Midnight'. I shall post photos as soon as it is big enough.

[Charithea]

I was collecting the seeds from the Salvia indica this morning and was struck how beautiful the Salvia interrupta is. It is always green in the summer and has a good shape  The flowers are large and a wonderful bluish......colour so I took a photo which I am posting.  I am also posting the row of Salvia hierosolymitana which came from last year's seeds. You can just about see the newly opened flowers.