show us beginners your blooms

I love that Salvia elegans..............never have seen it....will it grow from seed? I have never heard of Pineapple Sage...
gail

Bettygail,

Wow! 10 ft. x 10 ft.! That's some Salvia plant! Do you have any pics of it?

Guess everything grows really big in Texas!

Think this photo shows more of the plant. Taken in early Oct. 06.

Marilyn

It froze back this year (pretty tender) with these arctic blasts we have been getting. I will try to remember to take pics this summer...they have to pull the plants out of the ground as they spread so fast and take over everything else....you know how hardy durantas are (and how big they can get...almost tree like) .....this silly indigo spires was trailing all over the durantas, etc.
The reason everything get so big is that our growing season is so long...I had hibiscus blooming all over the front porch in January until the weather came in...it is still cold, but by the middle of February, we can start putting plants in ground again....by the end of March tender perennials are half way there...

This message was edited Jan 29, 2007 11:35 PM

Gail,

I'm surprised being in a warmer zone with a longer growing season, that you don't know about Pineapple Sage. I don't know about growing it from seed, I have always bought plastic containers of it a couple of nurseries and you can buy it from some places mailorder here at the Garden Watchdog.

Here's the link for the plant on Plant Files on Dave's Garden.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1913/index.html

The leaves, if you crush them, smell just like pineapple, hence the name.

Marilyn

thanks, Marilyn...zone 9 is new to me...just moved back home this past summer.....
gail

Gail,

Here is a photo of some Pineapple Sages. The one with the lighter leaves is 'Golden Delicious' and the one with the green leaves is the one I just posted. The flower is the same for both. This flower stem is from the green leaf one. The one with the 'yellow' leaves bloomed a little later.

Marilyn

Gail,

Good for you! You'll be able to grow alot more plants and for a longer season in TX.

The 'Golden Delicious' Pineapple Sage was the first time I grew it last year and I made sure I grew it next to the green leaf one so they would look great together.

Marilyn

Another new to me Salvia (just can't get enough of Salvias, Agastaches and Echinaceas!), is Salvia greggii 'Hot Pink'. Beautiful!

Late afternoon of 10/18/06.

Marilyn

Edited for spelling and grammer.

This message was edited Jan 29, 2007 11:54 PM

I got this from High Country Gardens for the first time in 2005 and I really love it! It's Salvia 'Raspberry Delight'!

In fact, I'm getting another one this year from them, because I love it so much!

Beautiful!

Took this photo late morning of 9/19/06 and it's not showing the whole plant!

Marilyn

A closeup showing the flower of Salvia 'Raspberry Delight'.

One of my long time favorite Salvias for attracting the Hummingbirds is Salvia 'Lady in Red'.

Here it is with 'Adonis Blue' Butterfly Bush and 'Purple Emperor' Butterfly Bush.

Marilyn

Another Salvia I planted for the first time last year and love alot is 'Flame'. I got 2 pots of it at Lowe's. Hoping they will survive the Winter.

It's 'redder' than the pic shows it to be. I took this at 9 am with the morning sun shining on it on 9/15/06. It's more of a true red with no orange.

Marilyn

Salvia 'Cherry Chief'. Beautiful and I love it!!! First time planting it last year. There are 2 plants here of it. Hoping they survive the Winter.

Another new favorite Salvia to love!

Late morning of 8/20/06.

Another Salvia I love and it's a favorite with me is Salvia penstemonoides (Big Red Sage). I got it in 2005 and love it! Beautiful!

Here it is with Lavender 'Grosso' and Verbena Bonariensis.

Morning of July 7, 06.

Marilyn

One of my favorite Agastaches! But then, all of them are!

Agastache mexicana 'Acapulco Salmon & Pink'.

Late morning of 7/7/06.

Another favorite! It's Salvia 'Hot Lips'. Beautiful! Planted it for the first time last year. Hoping it survives the Winter.

Afternoon of 6/24/06 and I don't think I had it too long at this time.

I just do not take enough pics of the entire garden but, this is one of my favorites that shows more than just one flower.
I really hope the beginner gardeners come in and ask as many questions as they can and remember there is never ever a thing as a stupid question.

I just germinated 50 'Magnus' coneflowers...............love yours with the butterfly.....since i really don't have a plan yet for my yard, i just keep germinating seeds...whatever i can't use in the yard I will put down at the garden and use for cut flowers. You all are all so nice to put up with me.

Bettygail, you're sure not a "beginner!" You just have a new home in a new area!

I forgot to compliment everyone on their lovely, lovely flowers - boy, do I wish I could be outside right now!

Murmur, I could look at your combination borders all day. Love the rocks!

Deborah♥

Deborah, thank you!! That particular bed was first created the summer of 2004 - and it took off like I never imagined. This year I have to move some things as they are too crowded for their own good and some get lost in the thickness. I still need to add rocks as the other side of the bed doesn't have any, and I'd like a few more in some places. Overall, though, I'm pleased with the effect. Many of the rocks were from my own rockery (I only took ones that I didn't think necessary), and many from places where they were getting rid of them. That bed is pretty darn big (probably twice the size I originally designed!).

This photo was taken from the other side (in September) and the tall blue flower to the right is a perennial Salvia - "Black and Blue." It's of the tender variety, but has done well so far . . . here's hoping for this year as we've had colder weather than usual. It has become quite a favorite of mine, as has "Argentine Skies," which doesn't show in this photo, but is of a similar heighth and a lighter shade of blue.

Murmur, I noticed in your picture that you have so many different varieties of perennial flowers blooming at the same time. Was that picture taken in maybe mid June or do you plant your beds to bloom at the same time? I'm asking because I'm just getting started making new beds. I had to fill in with many many annuals just to have something blooming. Also, other problem I had last spring was not planning the heights correctly. Since I'm in south Georgia, some plants that are suppose to only grow 3ft tall actually can grow 4 to 5 ft. I dream of the day mine become mature beds like yours.

The first picture was taken in June, the second one in September. A great many of the perennials bloom at the same time, but there is just enough that continue on, or bloom later, to keep me reasonably happy. I have a number of daylilies which are rebloomers, Phlox which has a long blooming time if I keep it deadheaded, and late bloomers like Snake Root.

The Tall Verbena (the purple to the left) has a really long bloom time, as does the Salvia. However, the Tall Verbena can be a real pest, too - pops up everywhere!! It is easy to pull, though, and I last year I sold a bunch of it at a plant sale my friend and I had.

Early on, I have bulbs blooming - some in the ground (as in this picture), but also quite a few in containers which I later remove and put at the back of my property so I don't have to look at the dying foliage (and the tulips do really well this way as they hate being over watered).

Murmer, I call myself a beginner has I lived in an apt. for 10 years with no gro lights.....The seeds I started in the fall were the first in 10 years, so I am really starting over.

another garden shot

I got a that same type of BF on some of my Coneflowers last Summer too. What is that cutie? Thanks!

Marilyn

Edited for spelling.

This message was edited Jan 30, 2007 4:05 PM

Murmur,

I really love your flowerbed!!! Beautiful! Love how you did your rocks around the edge! I have rocks at my border's edge too, but the way you did it is fantastic!

Marilyn

Everyones's photos are great too! Forgot to mention that too.



Marilyn

Murmur,

Love your Salvia 'Black and Blue'! Beautiful! Mine never look any where near that great, so what's your secret? Spill the beans please.

What is that shorter blue flower in front? Is that another Salvia? What is it?

Marilyn

Murmur,

In your 3rd pic, what is that big, tall dark leafed plant, the one behind the pink Tulips?

Marilyn

I got lots of Verbena Bonariensis in my gardens too. I let it reseed and if I don't want some of the seedlings somewhere, I just pull it up. The BF's love it! I've seen Hummers on the flowers too sometimes.

Here's a pic of some blooming with a Monarch BF on it taken last Summer.

Gail,

I can send you some seeds of Verbena Bonariensis and possibly some other seeds I might still have if you're interested.

Let me know please.

Marilyn

oops! wrong pic.

I'll see if I can add the right one I going to add.

Marilynbeth, I would love to trade seeds with you in about 3 weeks....I am knee deep in germinating right now.....I love trading seeds so much that I am devoting too much time to it right now.........let's not forget this trade in a few weeks now. I would love to try theVerbena Bonariensis again....grew it in Houston one time and it was pretty....(I get overly excited when I see something I haven't seen or had forgotten about)
gail

Hi Gail,

Ok.

Marilyn

Gail, I'm excited for you!!!! Hope you'll share pictures as you create and create and create!!! I lived in apartments for five years (late 80's) and missed gardening so much - the only thing that saved my sanity was that I could do some container gardening on the balconies of both places I lived.

Marilyn, thank you so much for all your nice words . . . makes me feel absolutely wonderful!!! The flower in front of the Salvia Black & Blue is a Caryopteris (I think anyway). The plant in back of the tulips is a Hebe which has a really nice purple flower. I don't know what the secret is on the Salvia, believe me - I think it's a lot of blind luck . . . I just hope they survive the winter. Our local garden center sells them as an annual because they're tender, but you're in a colder zone than I am and yours are surviving, right? Their first winter I mulched them with straw, but I haven't done anything since (this is their third winter) and I'm apprehensive. I'm very happy with how the rocks turned out, too - the bed is slightly raised so I think it made it a bit easier to place them. I have a funny little "creek" (drainage ditch, it must be admitted) right along my property line and I'm hoping to eventually line it with rocks as well. I found a great source close by, but not for free so I'll have to buy them a few at a time. I haven't priced them yet so may change my mind altogether!

I was just looking back over all the photos that have been posted on this thread and they are awesome - I wish I could comment on every single one, but it would take all night. It's just so inspiring to see what everyone is doing! I just keep going back and looking and looking and looking!

Not Martha, it's a pleasure to be seeing some pics of your gardens again - I remember from another thread that they are glorious.

Marilyn, I really like Agastache, too - in this photo it is in back of that Hebe you asked about. At least I think it's Agastache - I'll correct myself later if I find out I'm wrong!

HI Everyone! Y'all have been really busy for 2 days of posting..May I join you all? Good to see all yas from BF&H and BW forums too!! :-SSS

Bettygail! Nice to see you, and you've definatly come to the right place for ideas and inspiration. Everybody has been so generous with advice and pics.....Beautiful gardens and flowers y'all!! WOW!

So bettygail, your new to South Texas? Your good for checking out what will survive the heat! Did you know you live right smack dab in the middle of Butterfly land? Something to consider... You may want to plant some host plants for those. The pics in this thread are great nectar sources too, ie. Salvias , Agastache ...Man! you all have such pretty flowers!! There is a thread for Host plants here> http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/661953/ You will get a lot of great ideas there too.

As for getting plants and seeds for growing in Texas, you cant go wrong with Texas Natives. I found several good sources for seeds and plants.
Here is the Texas Native thread in the 'Texas Gardening Forum'> http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/528122/ Tons of good ideas for your climate. There are links in the main Sticky page, so you can check the cultivars you like and get the native variety. I have some seeds I can send you as well. You will find a lot of people in your specific zone there too, all sweethearts!
Seed and plant source, (I love these people!)> http://www.easywildflowers.com/
Texas Native Seeds here > www.seedsource.com

Hope that's not overloading you. I will dmail you with my phone number if you can call me.

Deb Magnes

One of my new favorites. This is Salvia 'Dark Dancer' and I planted it for the first time last year. I haven't gotten another one yet, but probably need to. I was hoping this would survive the Winter here, even though I'm in zone 6, but it may not (sadly). It's beautiful! It looks like the 'color' 'sort of' like Salvia 'Raspberry Delight' from High Country Gardens, which I have had since Spring 2005.

I took this photo in the early afternoon of 6/24/06, sometime I got it mail order.

i luv sweet williams, they were a favorite of my moms!