August 30, 1919 



HORTICULTUR 



SALVIAS FOR THE GARDEN. 



Very few groups of plants are so 

 little known and appreciated for their 

 use in the garden as the Salvias, 

 writes S. R. Candler, in the Journal of 

 the International Garden Club. These 

 belong to that well known family of 

 plants, Labiatae, from which we are 

 supplied with so many gems of the 

 garden. 



The four Salvias I wish to speak of 

 as of special value for their utility 

 and easiness of culture are: Salvia 

 farinacea, S. uliginosa, S. azurea 

 grandirlora and S. patens. All are her- 

 baceous perennials but shall be treated 

 as annuals with the exception of Sal- 

 via azurea grandirlora, which although 

 a native of Mexico, is perfectly hardy. 



Salvia farinacea. The seeds should 

 be sown in a hot bed or in a warm 

 greenhouse about the end of March, 

 and as soon as the seedlings are large 

 enough to handle should be pricked 

 off into boxes about three inches 

 apart, these seedlings should be kept 

 growing in a warm temperature and 

 gradually hardened off till they are 



ready to be planted in the open ground 

 in May; when they should be planted 

 in a good soil with a sunny location, 

 about eighteen inches each way apart. 

 In July they will be one mass of 

 lavender blue flowers. 



The great beauty of this plant is 

 in the flowers, as the corolla and the 

 calyx are of the same color and when 

 the former drops the calyx remains 

 and gives the appearance of a sprig 

 of English Lavender (but lacks its 

 perfume). Salvia farinacea is of im- 

 portance as a cut flower, it lasts a 

 long time when cut and placed in 

 water; but it should always be planted 

 for effect in bold masses. 



Salvia uliginosa. The seeds and 

 seedlings should have the same treat- 

 ment as S. Farinacea, but with this 

 difference; the plants should always 

 be allowed two feet each way when 

 planting, and should have a well 

 manured soil, they also like a dry lo- 

 cation. 



This Salvia is the last of the Salvias 

 to come into flower but it continues 

 to flower till late fall. It will grow to 



a height of 4 to 5 feet and, therefore, 

 should not be planted in front of the 

 border but at the back. It is a most 

 profuse bloomer and the flower tresses 

 are from eight to ten inches In length 

 and are of a pretty cornflower blue 

 with a little white in the throat, a 

 most distinct color in Salvias. No 

 Salvia is so useful for massed effect 

 in the border, and while it is a good 

 cut flower it does not equal S. fari- 

 nacea in that respect. 



Salvia azurea grandiflora. In the 

 seedling stage this plant requires the 

 same treatment as the above men- 

 tioned, but once you have a good sup- 

 ply it will remain with you as the roots 

 are perfectly hardy and the plants will 

 increase in strength from year to year. 

 The habit of this plant is not so free 

 as the two already mentioned, the 

 stems are more woody and stiffer and 

 the flowers are not borne with such 

 profusion, but still it is a very worthy 

 subject for the garden and vase as a 

 single stem of flowers form quite a 

 show of blooms. It is its color that 

 appeals, it has a blue that is lighter 



Salvia Vlrgata Nemoroaa 



