Salvia.
An incredibly diverse genus of perennials and shrubs from Europe, South America and Asia, widely grown for their architectural foliage and brightly coloured flowers. Salvias are widely used to compliment herbaceous plantings, as many species have a far longer flowering period than most bulbs and perennials. Salvias have also become popular in coastal and drier climates, and flourish where many of the more traditional garden species will perish. Thanks to Sue Templeton for making many of the following varieties commercially available in Australia.
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Salvia ‘Anthony Parker’. Blue and purple flowers on a bushy plant. Cold-hardy and handsome, particularly if pruned. Part sun to full sun. 90 cm. |
$6.50 |
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Salvia ‘Hot Lips’. Attractive and eye-catching bi-coloured cultivar with white and red flowers; probably a S. greggii hybrid. Compact and tidy for most of the year. Full sun. 60 cm. |
$4.50 |
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Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’. One of my favourite salvias, flowering long into autumn with superb indigo flowers. Tip prune young plants to encourage bushy form before flowering. Part sun to full sun. 140 cm. |
$5.50 |
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Salvia ‘Venezuelan Beauty’. A beautiful foliage plant with evenly spaced grey felted leaves. A scarlet flower surrounded by a dark calyx. Part sun to full sun. 140 cm. |
$5.50 |
Salvia amplexicaulis. Closely related to Salvia nemorosa, yet distinct in its larger form. Blue flowers and winter dormant. Will cope with frost etc like nemorosa. Full sun. 60 cm. |
$4.50 |
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Salvia forskaohlei. A robust cold-hardy species from the Balkan peninsula, this salvia is versatile: happy in both warm and very cold climates. If temperatures drop below -5 C the plants will become deciduous, however can remain evergreen in warmer climes. Violet purple flowers and attractive greyish hairy leaves. Full sun. 60 cm. |
$4.50 |
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Salvia involuncrata x karwinskii. A bushy shrublike variety that makes an excellent centrepeice to any garden bed; alternatively behind roses or tall summer flowering perennials. Pink flowers and good foliage. Full sun. 180 cm. |
$4.50 |
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Salvia karwinskii. Spectacular tall Salvia from Mexico, with long canes topped with coral pink flowers in late summer. I particularly like the large, tropical-looking felted leaves. Full sun. 200 cm. |
$5.50 |
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Salvia mexicana ‘Limelight’. One of my favourite salvias, which always looks great in the autumn. The flowers are lime-green and in exhuberant clusters like something tropical. Responds well to good soil. Part sun to full sun. 90 cm. |
$5.50 |
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Salvia murii. A good salvia for open positions where it gets plenty of sun. Long flowering from mid summer onwards with literally hundereds of light blue flowers. Trim back annually like a lavender for best long term results. Full sun. 70 cm. New! |
$4.80 |
Salvia semi atrata. A medium salvia for full sun positions with an interesting purple calyx surrounding the blue flower. Fine leaved foliage. Full sun. 70 cm. New! |
$4.80 |
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Sanguisorba officianalis. A wonderful texture plant for the border, with literally hundreds of dark purple pompoms on tall stems in late summer. Not fussy, and flowers over a long period. Part sun to full sun. 150 cm. |
$4.50 |
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Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’. A Sedum spectabile cultivar with dark terracotta red flowers. Upright habit, always reliable for late summer and autumn colour. Full sun. 80 cm. |
$4.00 |
Sempervivum.
The current rage in France and Britain in the alternate housing scene is a ’living’ roof, consisting of a Sempervivum, Sedum and Echeveria carpet. Hence the name ’Houseleek’ I suppose! I have been collecting these succulent plants for a few years now, and have chosen the following cultivars for their variety in foliage colour and texture. They make excellent pot plants; alternatively, place them in a drystone wall or rockgarden. (Feel free to plant them on your roof!)
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Sempervivum ‘Dark Beauty’. Deep ruby-red rosettes. Rock-garden or pot plant. Full sun. 10 cm. |
$4.50 |
Sempervivum ‘Magnificum’. A deep purple cultivar which develops large clusters of rosettes individually up to 15 cm across. Full sun. 10 cm. |
$4.00 |
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Soldanella montana. A delicate woodland plant which needs a sheltered moist site. Perfect with Galanthus nivalis and Cyclamen coum. Shade. 15 cm. |
$4.80 |
Soldanella montana var. alba. The rare white form of Soldanella montana, originally from Essie Huxley. Woodland conditions. Shade. 15 cm. |
$5.00 |
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Stipa gigantea. Native to Spain, Portugal and Morocco, a spectacular tall grass with attractive seed heads in autumn. Takes a few years to achieve maturity but well worth the wait. Full sun. 200 cm. |
$8.00 |
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Tasmannia lanceolata. Attractive shrub with pepper flavoured berries and leaves . Also a superb container specimen for part shade. Part sun to shade. 180 - 250 cm. |
$6.50 |
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Trillium chloropetalum. Superb woodland plant from North America. Requires a cool shady site, fertile peaty soil and protection from wind. Shade. 60 cm. |
$9.50 |
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Veronicastrum virginicum. A handsome plant with attractive palmate foliage on straight stems, topped with 30 cm spikes of pale pink Veronica flowers. Best in a moist fertile spot. Part sun to full sun. 120 cm. |
$5.50 |
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Westringia fructicosa. Hedging and evergreen background shrub with grey foliage and white flowers. Very tough and will endure most conditions. Trims well. Full sun. 100 cm. New! |
$4.00 |
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