Salvias

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David Dickinson

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #165 on: April 24, 2021, 12:25:15 AM »
I am always on the lookout for low-growing salvias to grow at the base of taller plants. Recently I was browsing through "Beth Chatto's Gravel Garden" and I read that she had planted Salvia blancoana in her scree garden. The name was new to me but "scree garden" suggested a low growing plant and, sure enough, the internet confirmed this. It is available from Le Essenze di Lea http://leessenzedilea.com/ and I also found this salvia supplier with a photo of the plant http://www.vivaiociancavare.it/project/salvia-blancoana/.  Looks like a little bit of mail order will be going on in the near future. :)
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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Charithea

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #166 on: April 24, 2021, 03:01:10 PM »
Hi David.  Your choice of Salvia is really good. I went straight to the Ciancavare vivaio because it is a new name. I liked what I saw. I knew of the other because you purchased plants for me 'thank you lots and lots'. I will wait until we are free to travel and first pay a visit to Ioannis Gryllis.  Maybe if we are lucky we will come to Italy again and who knows what plants I can bring back. Anyway good luck. Thank you for the seeds you have send. They are sprouting and growing fast in the warm/hot weather we are having.
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 #167 on: April 29, 2021, 10:15:56 AM »
I have decided to post the photos of my Salvia candelabrum although the photos are not very clear and also the Salvia interrupta.  Their flowers are almost the same size and colour. The difference is that the  candelabrum is upright and the interrupta is very shrubby.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2021, 04:08:27 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 #168 on: April 30, 2021, 06:31:05 AM »
Love the Salvia candelabrum with its dense blue/green leaves and bright flowers held above - must look out for that! Good foliage and habit are just as important as flowers giving depth to planting schemes.

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 #169 on: April 30, 2021, 04:24:17 PM »
It is definitely an advantage having the flowers encircling the plant like a crown.  I think we had it for 2 years or maybe 3 years.  My memory is not what it used to be. It looked lost for a while and the foliage was grey green in the winter and some leaves were dried up but then it started to look fresh and new leaves appeared and the long stems looked promising.  I would go every morning to check on the progress. I am sure it will, one morning, be full of flowers.  I have tried to take cuttings but failed each time.  I will have to get another from Ioannis Gryllis. The Salvia interrupta sprawls about but in the spring it takes a new appearance.  Full of fresh leaves and many large beautiful  flowers.  I have been successful  with cuttings and have another 4 that are growing.  My Salvia eigii have already flowered and seeded and I have removed the dead leaves. They are beautiful but have a short flowering period so I will replace some of them with some other Salvia.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

David Dickinson

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #170 on: April 30, 2021, 09:10:16 PM »
I have some seedlings of both S eigii and S interupta growing. Thanks for the seeds Charithea :-)
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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Charithea

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #171 on: May 01, 2021, 04:38:37 AM »
Thank you David for all those seeds. We have transplanted some of them already. Both Salvias mentioned above are wonderful . The Salvia interrupta will be a joy because it survives the heat and the cold. Salvia eigii has a short flowering period but it is lovely. Once it dies down it does not need water and it will return again in the spring.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

David Dickinson

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #172 on: May 02, 2021, 02:04:33 AM »
My main Salvia lyrata 'Purple Knockout' are these in a pot but it has also self seeded around the garden. Looking nice at the moment.
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.

David Dickinson

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #173 on: May 02, 2021, 02:16:24 AM »
My Salvia 'Love and Wishes' has grown from a small cutting at Christmas 2019 to a medium sized plant. I was reading earlier posts that suggest afternoon shade and winter protection. Mine was in full sun all year and flowered for most of the winter. But I will be sure to  watch it carefully over the summer because the leaves are quite fleshy for a salvia and don't suggest drought tolerance. The parent plant, in Leeds UK, did not survive its first winter.
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.

Umbrian

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #174 on: May 02, 2021, 07:19:04 AM »
I have managed to keep a Salvia 'Love and Wishes' going for several years. It was a present from a friend in England and I moved into a protected, but not heated, area for its first winters - also taking cuttings as a safeguard. This year one plant remained outside all winter and came through unscathed even unaffected by the damaging late frosts we had. Plants are funny things and never cease to amaze me at times.......alongside the disappointment of course.🙄
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.

David Dickinson

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #175 on: May 03, 2021, 01:44:06 PM »
Nothing as beautiful in my garden as your carpet of white Jorun. But I did notice that I have the first flower spike this year on my Salvia 'Amante'. There are several more developing so it should put on a good display for me soon. Won't be too long before travel to the Mediterranean is allowed - or at least I hope not.
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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Charithea

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Re: Salvias
« Reply #176 on: May 03, 2021, 05:33:53 PM »
David that would be wonderful to be able to travel around the Med. So many plants and flowers to see and friends to visit.
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 #177 on: May 04, 2021, 12:02:37 PM »
I am responding to some of the above posts. In fact I typed and spell checked my previous post and it came back with ' a problem has occurred ' and everything disappeared.  David,my cutting of  Salvia 'Amante' couldn't take the sudden arrival of the hot weather and died .  Your Salvia lyrata 'Purple knockout' looks good in the pot.  My much travelled 'lyrata' has not come back this year.  I think the ants took away the seeds.  Also my Salvia  'Caradonna' is gone. However, my seedlings of Salvia taraxacifolia  thank you Umbrian, germinated quickly and are looking good. I shall grow them in the pot to make sure they stay alive. Some of this  Spring's seeds of Salvia viridis have already started to flower. One is only 12 centimeters tall with tiny insignificant blue flowers. I am waiting for its blue  tufts to appear so I can photographed it.  There are some more promising ones so I will be patient.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2021, 12:04:48 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 #178 on: May 04, 2021, 01:05:46 PM »
Internet activity can be so frustrating at times I have to say but I suppose without it it would be harder to keep in touch with old gardening friends with all the frustrations of life at the moment - for instance it was lovely to hear from Jorun the other day via this Forum. I wouldn't be too protective of the S.  taraxacifolia - it is a pretty tough character - for me anyway😊
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.

David Dickinson

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Re: Salvias - Salvia roemeriana Arriba
« Reply #179 on: May 16, 2021, 11:25:03 AM »
I grew this plant from seed several years back and was very disappointed with the size of the flowers. It died and I never bothered to replace it. Last year, I was looking for small plants to fill in little spaces in my large tubs and there were plants for sale on the internet through a company that I was buying other plants from. It came in a parcel via my sister before Brexit kicked in. In its new role I have seen it in a new light. It is adding colour to the trays after the Iris flowers have died back. I will be getting cuttings (hopefully!) on the go to fill in yet more little spaces.
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.