^ The Scented Cjarden f$£ 



perfectly fresh. Another method is to dip the ends of 

 the stalks in boiling water for about ten seconds. (This is 

 the method used to make Oriental poppies, etc., last when 

 exhibited at shows.) S. virgata nemorosa is an invaluable 

 member of the sage family. S. Grahami is charming, and 

 should certainly find a place in the scented garden, not 

 only for the beauty of its bright red flowers and pale green 

 leaves, but also for its delicious perfume. It is rather 

 tender and likes the protection of a wall. It flowers from 

 July to the end of October. 



The humble member of the Salvia family, the common 

 sage (Salvia officinalis), should find a place in the scented 

 garden, especially the red-leaved variety, which looks so 

 charming when its lavender-coloured heads of flowers are 

 in full bloom. Sage is very variable in cultivation, and 

 one of the most attractive ' sports ' is the variegated 

 red-leaved variety, which has large cream-coloured 

 blotches. These varieties always have a tendency to 

 revert to type, and cuttings should be taken from the 

 branches showing most variegation. The red-leaved 

 variety seems a little less hardy than the green, and never 

 flowers unless in a very dry, sunny place. Red sage was 

 apparently more highly esteemed in olden times than the 

 green sage. For instance, in the Receipt Book of Joseph 

 Cooper (Joseph Cooper was cook to Charles I) it appears 

 that he preferred to use red sage for the royal table. He 

 gives a recipe for sage cream made by pounding red sage- 

 leaves in a mortar, and then mixing them with a quart of 

 cream, a quarter of a pint of canary, a quarter of a pint 

 of rose-water and half a pound of sugar. Sage was very 

 highly esteemed for its medicinal properties, and, indeed, 

 the plant derives its name from salveo, I heal. John 

 152 



