SALIX SALVIA. 



219 



Corsica. The rock garden and bor- 

 ders, chiefly in wide -spreading tufts 

 as a verdant carpet beneath taller 

 subjects. Generally it is a failure in 

 lawns. Unless great attention is given, 

 no perfect lawn can be made with one 

 kind of plant. Seed and division. 



Salix retietilata (Netted-leaved Wil- 

 low}. A prostrate, much branched, 

 native alpine shrub, 3 to 6 in. high. 

 Flowers, in early summer ; catkins 

 solitary, on lougish stalks, at the ends 

 of the short branches, purplish-red, as 

 are also the buds. Leaves, about 1 in. 

 long and broad, roundish, somewhat 

 elliptical, entire, leathery, with netted 

 veins, green and smooth above, white 

 beneath. Scotch Highlands and moun- 

 tains of Europe, Asia, and America. 

 The rougher parts of the rock- 

 garden, and on the margins of beds of 

 dwarf shrubs, in light moist soil. It 

 is only worth cultivating by those who 

 take some interest in native plants. 

 Division and cuttings. 



Salix serpyllifolia (Thyme-leaved S.) 

 A curious little shrub, only 1 or 

 2 in. high. Flowers, in May ; catkins 

 oblong, few-flowered. Leaves, ovate, 

 or ovate-lance-shaped, acute, entire, 

 smooth, shining above. High moun- 

 tains of France, Italy, and Switzer- 

 land. An interesting species for 



botanical and curious collections, the 

 rock-garden, or borders, in moist, 

 sandy soil. Cuttings and division. 



Salvia argentea (Silver Clary). 8. 

 patula. A noble silvery-leaved bien- 

 nial, 2 to 3 ft. high. Flowers, in early 

 summer ; in large whorls forming a 

 panicled raceme; corolla white with 

 the upper lip purplish and pubescent, 

 the lower one yellowish; calyx bell- 

 shaped, striped, villous; teeth rather 

 spiny. Leaves, very large, ovate, 6 to 

 12 in. long, and 4 to 6 in. broad, 

 clothed with loose white wool on both 

 surfaces, stalked, wrinkled, sinuately 

 lobed ; stems erect, villous. Consi- 



derable variation may be observed, 

 among the plants, particularly as re- 

 gards the size and hoariness of the 

 leaves. Southern Europe and Africa. 

 Borders, beds, and groups of sil- 

 very-leaved plants, in light sandy 

 loam. As this plant is chiefly valuable 

 for the beauty of its leaves, and these 

 are seen to greatest perfection when 

 spread flat on the ground in great 

 rosettes before the plants flower, it is 

 desirable to sow some of the seed 

 every spring. 



Salvia officinalis, var. tricolor (Va- 

 riegated Sage). A pretty variegated 

 form of the common Sage, 1 ft. to 

 16 in. and upwards in height. Flowers, 

 in summer; small, rosy-blue or 

 whitish, not ornamental, in rather 

 close groups of 4 to 6, forming a simple 

 cluster. Leaves, oval-oblong, narrowed 

 or rounded at the base, stalked, finely 

 reticulated, of a greyish-green, often 

 tinged with yellowish-white or flesh- 

 colour, changing afterwards to rose- 

 colour and sometimes to red; stems 

 much branched, reddish. Whole plant 

 covered with soft hairs, and diffusing a 

 penetrating aromatic odour. Southern 



Europe. Borders, as a bedding 



plant, and on the margins of shrub- 

 beries, in any light soil. Cuttings. 



Salvia patens (Spreading Sage). 

 The handsomest flowered Salvia, if 

 not the handsomest labiate plant we 

 have, l^ to 2 ft. high. Flowers, in 

 summer ; fine blue, large and showy, 

 in distant .whorls. Leaves, heart- 

 shaped or hastate, hairy above, pubes- 

 cent below ; stems somewhat shrubby 

 at the base. Roots tuberous. Mexico. 



Warm borders, beds, and groups 



of fine perennials, in light, rich, and 

 moist soil. It is unfortunately some- 

 what tender, and will, except in mild 

 districts and in very favourable soils 

 and positions, require protection at 

 the root in winter; but, even if it 

 perishes in spite of this precaution, it 



