Most of the many Salvia cuttings/seedlings that I have raised this year are now planted in the garden to fill the gaps left by those tender types that do not survive the winters in Hertfordshire.

Last year I was plagued by spider-mite on many of my cuttings as well as on established plants that survive outside such as Bethellii, Phylis Fancy, Indigo Spires. This year I seem to be almost mite free and my plants are looking very healthy and extremely lush.

Some of the winter survivors are now flowering. An early one is S. multicaulis which is now over flowering but still looks good with it's attractive bracts:

The plant in the right foreground is Mimulus cardinalis, it's lovely red flowers soon to appear.

I grow S. psidica in a spartan scree - about 75% of ¼" grit:

Hot Lips is in flower but can't make up it's mind about the temperature:

The stems of S. blancoana are starting to flop over a Tropaeolum and a Campanula. Pity blancoana is not more upright:

A form of S. x sylvestris is another early starter. Top left you can just see S. transylvanica:

A trio consisting of S. interrupta in the foreground, S. dolicantha above left and the ground covering Salvia JLP10 a collection of John & Lyndsey Pink above right:

Flower buds forming on S. mexicana 'Limelight' and the first flowers on a S. microphylla tbd:

S. forsskaolii raises it's flowering stems above a Clematis and infront of S. regla and the whiteflowers of Carpenteria californica:

S. miltiorrhiza's gracefully curving flower head is ready to open above a Moltkia x intermedia:

Alliums have such untidy leaves at flowering time. I hide the leaves of A. 'Globemaster' (which has the advantage of being sterile and thus not seeding everywhere like many others) in a bunch of Crocosmia 'Vulcan'. Salvia microphylla 'Cerro Potosi' is just starting to flower infront of the Dictamnus albus var. purpurea:

Finally, the wall gives S. x jamensis 'Red Velvet' an early start to keep up with the Geranium palmatum beyond it. Still lots of plants to find a place for:

Tomorrow or the day after, your Salvia 'Imelda' will have its first flowers........cannot wait! I am now the proud possessor of S. 'Wendy's Wish'...many buds already, am getting very excited about this! (Best not to ask how I obtained it!!!)

Robin.

Cameron