Oh yes, let me count the ways…heat tolerant, nonstop flowers, short lived perennials, thrives in sugar sand. Elizabeth, need I go on?
My love affair with Salvia continues. The freeze or drought or something lambasted what remained of the White Flame and Mystic Blue Salvia in my garden, so I replenished my supply. This involves meeting a friend for Thai food, then traveling to our local favorite https://pindersnursery.com and stocking up. Of course, a few other items were purchased…and in the vase.
A closer view:
The white flowers are White Flame Salvia. Red and coral flowers are from the reseeding annual Salvia coccinea. The buds and bigger leaves are from Mystic Blue Salvia. Possibly my all time favorite. A few stems broke off the plants from the nursery, so I am hoping the roots continue to grow in the vase. And I will have more!
Purple flowers are new to the garden, Heliotrope. I am told these don’t like heat – we will soon find out about that. The fragrance from these plants is used to scent baby powder, reportedly calming. I have had these for a few days and can’t smell anything. Could be the oak pollen or perhaps I am calm. One never knows.
The foliage is from Golden Dewdrop (Duranta erecta) with a few fronds of native Boston Ferns. The vase is from my florist collection.
Happy Spring Monday from my pollen infested garden. I am hoping the incoming rain clears the air. Please visit Cathy at RamblingintheGarden to see more vases.
The Shrub Queen 
Lovely Salvias! I bought ‘White Flame’ last summer because I’d seen them shared here, and will definitely buy again this spring. A marvelous performer! Heliotrope really are a cool season plant like alyssum and lobelia. Even I struggle to keep them alive in the shade here. But worth growing all the same for their scent and beauty. 👍🏼
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Thanks, Eliza. I should buy the Heliotrope in November, it has been cool and rainy here so maybe they will last a while – it sounds suspiciously like Fuchsia, which is impossible to grow here.
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What a lovely day out it must have been – and those salvias really work for you, don’t they? Mystic Spires just hasn’t performed for me, so I am guessing White Flame wouldn’t either, so you can just enjoy them a bit more on my behalf! I particularly noticed the ferns in your vase today, thinking how well they have set off so many of your vases over the years. Hope your calmness continues!!
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Thank you, Cathy. I enjoy the architectural quality of the Boston Ferns. I think these salvias like well drained soil, the other varieties don’t last for me.
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Salvias in my old garden could always be counted on to thrive and bring color. I’ll see what happens here.
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Did you bring seed to try? That will be interesting.
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I have 3 shoe boxes of seeds. I probably should have started some. But, have great news today, the landscaper started my fenced-in beds.
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Yay!! You should start some 😊
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What a great combination of colours red, white and blue, and all beautifully arranged and set off by the green. Thanks for sharing and have a lovely week.
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Thank you, Noelle.
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The native Boston fern is Nephrolepis exaltata. I thought what you had was the exotic Nephrolepis cordifolia, which can be such a weed problem here and in palm trees.
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Actually I have the Native Boston and the Asiatic Sword Fern N. brownii or multiflora, which is invasive.
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but not Nephrolepis cordifolia?
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What a treat! Having lunch with a good friend and visiting a nursery is my favourite thing ever. And I agree about salvias. That’s a gorgeous arrangement.
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Thanks, Liz. I have almost all the plants installed..
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They are wonderful Amelia! You know I also love Salvias – especially the blue ones. I am definitely going to try and get better at taking salvia cuttings. (Only one out of 12 survived my last attempt!) Your trip to a nursery (AND dinner) sounds like a great way to celebrate spring. Hope your new plants thrive for you!
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Thanks, Cathy. I have an absurd number of salvia now. The reseeding ones have reappeared. I am not sure why the cuttings are difficult, but they are.
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I just ordered five new ones! LOL!
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