There are a lot of xeric Mexican sages you can plant, including Salvia melissodora and S. keerli, which will draw your butterflies and other insect wings (bumblebees, even wasps).

I'd recommend any of the 3 or 4 available forms of Salvia regla, and many of the S. microphylla and S. greggii forms and hybrids (this includes x jamensis). I'd also explore their relatives like S. chamaedryoides, muelleri, lycioides (especially greggii hybrids), and coahuilensis.

You must have fire ants. Dou you also have pine voles? If not, there are a bunch of tuberous sages that should work, including many of the guaraniticas, involucratas (including puberulas)

Try Salvia disjuncta Strybing form, S. reptans, west Texas form, S. roemeriana, S. penstemonoides, and many of the S. leucanthas and S. mexicanas.

S. vanhouttei forms like Dancing Flames are probably not hardy, but are good bloomers.

The broad-leafed ones should go into the shady areas. If you have any dampish spots there (relatively speaking), there are a few others like S. miniata and the S. blepharophyllas.

I live in Central Texas on a limestone hill and , salvias can take the heat. Some you can put out in the blazing sun and others do apreciate some shade in the afternoon or morning. All of Rich's are good. I grow many of them. He left out S. madrensis (yellow under a tree) and S. darcyi, amd s. chiquita, our wild S. farenacea and s. Azures var grandiflora. Fire ants don't seem to bother my salvias. Salvias are very easy to grow from seed. So many that will grow here. Enough to make your head spin. S.chionophylla........ As for hummers, S. regla gets a great many visitations in my yard. Butterflies love the greggii and especially love the S. chiquita. Both of these will like the drainage of your sandy soil.

Thanks to both of you. Yep, we have fire ants, but to the best of my knowledge no pine voles. We do have some regular moles. I'm going to goggle the suggestions and am sure I'll go with several you two have suggested.

Should I want til spring to do the actual planting? Or will that depend on the type I choose?

Ginnypenny:
Salvia azurea should work great I have collected it over
toward Woodville(Vidor area) .Salvia guarnitica would be a good plant for you. Both of these will take the higher Rain fall you get over there. Mexicana,farinacea does well up in Dallas metroplex area,S x Mystic Spires ,S x Indigo Spires,S. coccinea and S.vanhouteii and miniata(this last two will be annuals for you. I would also ask if you are on Clay or sand in your part of the woods? Yes you should wait until spring just so you can get your plants w/color and it does matter which one you choose. S. regla may be a little hard to find at your local
nurseries.
Art

Thanks Art, I'm on sand. I've amended the beds as I plant with compost and top soil. I've got lots and lots of pine straw, oak and sweetgum leaves to compost.

This will give me lots of time to check out all the wonderful salvias and to dream.

I mentioned fire ants because I thought both moles and pine voles would avoid those areas, especially in sandy soils.

Pine voles will eat the tubers of Salvias.

yeah, anything smart will avoid fire ants!

Some of us do have seeds for the salvias we mentioned also.

That'd be awesome..my great grandson's favorite word..I've never tried starting with seeds, but am willing to try..With the help I keep getting on this forum, am sure I do it. anywone that want to send me some, email me at ginnyscurlock@yahoo.com with information.