SALVIA 



LAVENDER OBDEB 



SALVIA 747 



as the common Sage, 8. officinalis, so 

 much used for cooking purposes. The 

 hardy varieties are increased by division 

 in the autumn or early spring, or by 

 seed sown at the latter period. Cuttings 

 of the young ripened shoots may also 

 be inserted in a shady border late in 

 siunmer and autumn, in the case of 

 the half shrubby kinds. The more 

 tender kinds are raised from seeds sown 

 in heat about February and March, and 

 by the end of May or middle of June 

 are fit for the open ground. Cuttings 

 root readily in heat in spring, and produce 

 plants for autumn or late summer flower- 

 ing; but plants from seed are becoming 

 more popular, chiefly because they 

 produce specimens with a better shape 

 and perhaps more blossom. However, 

 according to circumstances Sages may be 

 increased by seeds, cuttings, or division, 

 as required. The following list, although 

 not exhaustive, contains a description of 

 the best flower garden varieties. 



S. argentea {S. patula). — A distinct 

 and handsome biennial about 3 ft. high, 

 native of Southern Europe, with erect 

 hairy stems, and tufts of large oval, wedge- 

 shaped, sinuately lobed leaves 6-8 in. or 

 more long, wrinkled and covered with 

 silvery white, woolly hairs. Flowers in 

 summer, white or pinkish-white, 6-10 

 false whorls forming a large branching 

 panicle. 



Cultwre and, Propagation. — This is a 

 fine plant for groups or masses in the 

 border, owing to its raasses of large silvery 

 leaves carpeting the ground. The seeds 

 may be sown in autumn, the young 

 plants being wintered in a cold frame and 

 planted out the following May or June. 

 They may also be sown in heat in 

 February and March. By pinching out 

 the flower-spikes the foliage will retain its 

 freshness and beautiful silvery sheen for 

 a much longer period. 



S. azurea (8. acuminata). — A smooth 

 greyish green N. American species 3-6 ft. 

 high, with stalked oval or linear lance- 

 shaped leaves, the upper ones narrower, 

 all entire or unequally toothed. Flowers 

 in July and August, deep blue, in long 

 clustered spikes. The variety gramd/iflora 

 (also known as 8. Pitcheri) has larger 

 and deeper blue flowers than the type. 

 There is also a white-flowered form. 



Culture and Propagation. — Seeds of 

 this may be sown in autumn or spring 



as in the case of 8. argentea. It is easily 

 increased also by dividing the tufts in 

 spring, and by inserting cuttings at the 

 same period in sandy soil under a hand- 

 light or in the greenhouse. 



S. bicolor. — A distinct and handsome 

 biennial, native of Barbary, with thick 

 stems 2-3 ft. high, and large ovate 

 incised-toothed pinnately out or palmately 

 lobed leaves, becoming smaller up the 

 stem. Flowers in summer, in racemes 

 IJ- 2 ft. long; upper lip bluish-violet, 

 spotted with yeUow ; lower lip whitish. 



Culture do. as above. This may be 

 increased from seeds in the same way as 

 8. argentea. 



S. Candelabrum. — A fragrant aromatic 

 shrubby species 3-4 ft. high, with rather 

 blunt lance-shaped oblong crenate leaves 

 3-4 in. long, loosely wrinkled hairy and 

 dotted with oil-glands. Flowers in July, 

 in long panicles, white, striped with pale 

 purple, hairy outside ; lower lip rich 

 violet streaked with white in the throat. 

 Calyx sharply ribbed, tinged with piu:ple. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species being a native of Mexico is not 

 quite hardy in our climate. It is a fine 

 border plant and may be increased by 

 seeds sown inautumn,or in spring in gentle 

 heat. Cuttings of the side or non-flowering 

 shoots may also be inserted during the 

 late summer months in cold frames, and 

 when rooted the plants should be pro- 

 tected in a greenhouse until the following 

 spring. 



S. carduacea. — A distinct and pretty 

 Cahfornian perennial, with stout, simple 

 stems, 1 ft. or more high, and tufts of 

 oblong, pinnately cut and lobed, sinu- 

 ate - toothed, spiny, Thistle-Hke leaves. 

 Flowers in July and August, lavender- 

 blue, about 1 in. long, the upper lip erose- 

 toothed, or fringed, the lower one with a 

 deeply many-cleft middle lobe, and fringed 

 side lobes. 



Culture and Propagation. — This is 

 too tender in winter for any except the 

 mildest parts of the south coast. It 

 likes a rather dry soil, and warm sunny 

 positions, and may be raised annually 

 from seeds sown in heat in spring. 



S. coccinea. — A native of Central and 

 S. America about 2 ft. high, softly downy 

 with oval heart-shaped unequally crenate 

 leaves, iisually softly downy beneath. 

 Flowers in summer, deep scarlet, 1 in. 



