834 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



are of slight value, but the large flat tufts of 

 leaves, coated with soft, silvery hairs, are hand- 

 some in borders when the snails will let them 

 alone. A sheltered place is best, to escape 

 the damage wrought by rough winds. 



S. AUREA is a tall shrubby kind from the 

 'Cape, long known in gardens, and hardy in the 

 south when planted against sheltered and sunny 

 walls. The flowers are of a rusty yellow, and 

 the small rounded leaves are covered with white 

 down. 



S. AZUREA. — A perennial from North 

 America, and one of the finest in its flowers, 

 borne as dense spikes of a beautiful pale blue, 

 during September and October. Its habit is 

 vigorous, with stems long and straight, and it 

 flowers rather too late to be always good with 

 us. There are several forms of this plant, 

 drawn from different parts of its area, including 

 grand ijlora (syn., S. Pitcheri), with down- 

 covered leaves and stems and denser spikes, 

 and angtistifoUa, with narrow leaves and longer 

 spikes of flower. Though often flowered under 

 glass, these plants thrive in the open border in 

 mild districts, and are very useful for cutting. 



S. BICOLOR is a good biennial, pretty and 

 distinct, with flowers of violet and white borne 

 in tiers upon stout unbranched stems of 2 to 



3 ft. in early summer. It is a neat border 

 plant with downy leaves, needing light soil and 

 a warm place. N. Africa. 



S. BOLiviANA.— This shrubby kind is 3 to 



4 ft. high, and one of the best for winter flowers, 

 beginning to bloom in late autumn. The bright 

 scarlet clusters come freely, and contrast well 

 with the dark purplish sepals. Other kinds 

 good in the same way for flowering under glass 

 in winter are gesnevcvjlora, with large orange- 

 scarlet flowers ; Heerii, with bright pure scarlet 

 flowersduringearly spring ; lencanlha{eriocalyx), 

 purple and white, and the Pine-apple Sage 

 \S. rtitilans), with fine crimson-scarlet flowers of 

 fruity fragrance. 



S. cacall*;folia is a perennial of slender 

 habit from the pine forests of Mexico, with 

 stems 2 ft. high bearing fine deep blue flowers, 

 prettily contrasted with grey downy foliage. 

 The plant is hardy in warm gardens and during 

 mild winters, and well worth growing for its 

 fine colour. 



S. CANDELABRUM. — This kind from the 

 south of Europe makes a low dense bush not 

 unlike the Common Sage and with a similar 

 herb-like smell. During summer stout angular 

 stems shoot up from the tuft of wrinkled 

 foliage, bearing purple and white flowers upon 

 regularly spaced branchlets. Old plants are apt 

 to die suddenly in a wet or cold season, but are 

 easily renewed from seed. 



S. CARDUACEA. — Though mostly treated as 

 an annual, this is a true perennial in good soils, 

 distinct from any other Sage in its finely-cut 

 and spiny leaves, more or less covered with 

 wool. The pale blue flowers with reddish 

 anthers are of peculiar shape and surrounded 

 with Thistle-like bracts. California. 



S. CKLOVIANA. — A shrubby kind, of free 

 growth, with dark bronze-green foliage and 



short spikes of reddish-violet flowers during 

 winter. Though less showy than many kinds, 

 its season of beauty gives it unusual value for 

 seaside gardens in the south-west of England 

 and Ireland, where it blooms freely, even in 

 partial shade. 



S. CHAJL^DRYOiDES is a Mexican species 

 with blue and white flowers, growing about 

 2 ft. high, and hardy in the south. 



S. cocciNEA. — This graceful plant covers a 

 wide area in America, and though small the 

 flowers are bright and well displayed. It is 

 excellent for borders, and a true ]3erennial, 

 though often treated as an annual. The habit 

 and leaves are neat, with bright scarlet flowers 

 in airy spikes of 12 to 18 ins., prettily set on 

 dark hairy stems, lasting for many weeks and 

 good for cutting. There are many seedling 

 forms, including varieties with white and pink 

 flowers ; major, a tall plant with larger flowers ; 

 pseudo-coccinea, which is densely hairy ; and 

 others of dwarf and spreading habit. 



S. DiCHROAisa stately shrubby species from 

 the Atlas Mountains, bearing fine blue and 

 white flowers towards the end of summer. On 

 our southern shores this attains a height of 

 many feet if grown in sheltered places or 

 against a warm wall. 



S. DISCOLOR from the Andes of Peru bears 

 dark purple flowers in long loose spikes at the 

 tips of its stout erect shoots. Among the scarlet 

 kinds its dark tones are a fine contrast, and it 

 is almost constantly in bloom. Syn., S. ni- 

 gricans. 



S. FARINACEA. — Though not showy, this is 

 a pretty and distinct plant, its small flowers of 

 lilac-blue set with a powdery hoariness and 

 carried thickly as rounded heads at the end of 

 short bare stems. It is a half-hardy perennial 

 from the western states of America and Mexico. 

 There is a form with white flowers. 



S. Grahaml — This good old kind forms a 

 handsome bush, bearing small bright crimson 

 flowers in light heads during summer. The 

 stems being woody, they last well when cut, 

 and are pretty in vases. It is hardy in the 

 milder parts of Britain, but needs a good place 

 against a wall if it is to flower well. There are 

 varieties with white flowers, and shades in- 

 clining to scarlet and purple. 



S. Greggii {Rosemary-scented .Sage). — One 

 of the hardiest of the shrubby Salvias, coming 

 from the mountains of Texas. It grows about 

 3 ft. high, with small bluntly-rounded leaves 

 and spikes of crimson and purple flowers 3 to 

 6 ins. long at the end of drooping branchlets. 

 The plant is hardy in light soils with root pro- 

 tection, and resists drought, blooming through 

 a long season. Seedlings are easily raised, and 

 flower the first season, or a reserve of rooted 

 cuttings may be wintered under glass. 



S. HlANS is a hardy perennial from Cash- 

 mere, growing 18 ins. high, with large hairy 

 leaves like the Clary, and fine violet-blue 

 flowers with a pure white lower lip, and 

 carried in bunches of six together. Free in 

 growth and flower, it is one of the best border 

 Salvias. 



