show us beginners your blooms

Closeup.

Closeup of Salvia 'Black and Blue' flower.

Closeup of Salvia 'Navajo Pink' flowers.

That last pic is what our butterfly plant is......I have a suggestion for you which would never make you have to buy a plant again....get your gro lights in and heating mats.......start rooted cuttings to trade of your salvias.............you could trade forever...i don't even get to see all those salvias anywhere....i could name on one hand the ones we see down here and I am quite sure that if we can grow salvia greggi in our summers, the south could benefit greatly from trades on your salvias and other plants...does that even interest you to propagate. (I like propagating maybe even more than the actual gardening) well, maybe there is a little "truthiness" (as Colbert says on his report) in that statement.

Gail,

I go to store's like Lowe's at least once a week (usually more than once - several times) to get not only birdfood (I feed the birds every day/year round), but to check what they have for plant selection and plant supplies.

I go to 2 local nurseries 'here and there' to get plant supplies and see what they have for plants.

Sometimes I go to Home Depot to see what they have for plants.

I order from High Country Gardens for plants and supplies (lately it's been for Salvias, Agastaches and Lavenders).

http://highcountrygardens.com/

I order from Lazy S'S Farm Nursery for plants (lately it's been for Salvias and Agastaches).

http://www.lazyssfarm.com/index.html

I order from Crownsville Nursery for plants (usually for Salvias).

http://www.crownsvillenursery.com/

I've looked into Plant Delights for Salvias, but haven't ordered yet, but I'm sure I will order sometime soon.

http://www.plantdelights.com/

I just placed an order for Salvias from Cottage Garden. They have their catalog online, but you can't order online at this time.

http://www.cottgardens.com/index.html

I haven't started growing plants inside. I just order more that die and/or aren't hardy.

Being in Texas with a warmer (hotter) zone, I would think you would be able to find and grow alot more than I can. And, to have more places to get flowers year round.

We have trouble with most perennials....can grow coreopsis, asclepsias tuberosa, ecinacea, , etc. Although we can grow many things during our long season.....tropicals outside, etc...we can't grow a lot that you do..I lived in zone 6 and grew totally different plants. I am going to order from some of the above sites....you would never find these salvias and agastaches in our Lowes or Home Depot....mostly tropicals and some ordinary bulbs and perennials...

Gail,

The only Agastaches that I found at Lowe's is 'Blue Fortune', 'Golden Jubilee' and 'Tutti Frutti'.

You might have to do like I do and get the plants I really want through mail order.

The following companies are Garden Watchdog 30 companies'

High Country Gardens
Lazy S'S Farm Nursery
Plant Delights
Logee's Greenhouses

Plant Delights just became a Garden Watchdog 30 company this year. And, I just placed an order earlier this month at Logee's for the first time and am getting 4 Salvias.

I really like High Country Gardens and Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

thanks and i am planning ordering from the sites you gave me....first i have to keep planting seeds..........beginning to see double....maybe even crosseyed...

Marilynbeth, if you're not a landscape designer, you have missed your calling for sure. Folks on DG could really benefit from your pictures if you can submit them in plantfiles. All too often only a picture of the bloom is submitted by most people and not enough of the rest of the plant is shown. Not only do your pictures show a full view of your topic plant, it shows just enough of its companion plants as well as your hardscapes. These are the design relationships I've been looking for. Your pictures could easily be submitted to Better Homes and Garden. I'm not just trying to flatter you, I'm serious as a judge here. You and Notmartha both have some wonderful gardens and I can't tell y'all enough how much we, {I'm sure I can speak for Bettygail as well}, appreciate y'all sharing your pics.
I've sown several of the plants in your pictures, both inside and winter sowing in jugs in the shade of a pine tree. With your pictures, I'm able to take notes on where they will be planted and how they will be combined. Crossing my fingers here ☺
Feeding the birds year round is one of my priorities too. Another priority is to provide as much of a natural Butterfly habitat as I can. I'm a regular lurker on the butterfly and bird forum and I'm learning alot about the Monarch Watch certification program. Getting my yard certified as a butterfly habitat is this year's goal.
I've never heard of the cultivar 'Soul Mate' milkweed. Is it A. incarnata? I'll have to put that one on my wish list.

Gail, I like to take cuttings too. Successfully rooted some Brugmansias and mexican petunias "sticks" which has now given me the propagating bug.

Happy Gardening y'all!
Deborah♥

deborah, wait until this summer and we can do a lot of trading...I am rooting right now Jatrophas in two colors (red and baby pink).....I would love a Brugmansia...never had one.....Propagating is more addictive than actually gardening out in the yard 'me thinks'....
I just moved in a few months ago so am just firing up for more gardening for years to come in this location.

Deborah, I agree with you about Notmartha and Marilyn - I truly cannot get enough of their garden photos!!!

Deborah and Murmur,

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!!! Thanks for your nice comments!

Most of these photos are in the Dave's Garden Plant Files.

I mainly plant for the Hummingbirds and Butterflies (and plant some host plants). The forum of gardening for BF's and Hummers is a favorite along with the new Bird Watching forum. It's very rewarding to me to feed the birds everyday, year round. I add seed to the feeders and on the ground, since some birds only eat on the ground. I get to see the 'baby' birds when and after their parents feed them. I get to see the migrating birds stop in the Spring and the Fall. I really enjoy the Hummers that come for the Spring/Summer months (sadly, they depart early Oct.) I get to see the songbirds that come up during that time and breed here.

Love to see the BF's in the yard/garden and on the flowers. I feel like 'mother hen' with the BF cats on their host plants.

Yes, Milkweed 'Soulmate' is A. incarnata. I'll be happy to share some seeds of it with you (after it blooms this year). I got Milkweed A. incarnata 'Ice Ballet' last year and this year should be the first year in has blooms (that's how 'Soulmate' was too). I ordered Milkweed 'Cinderella' from Gardens Crossing. this year. I'll be happy to share some seeds of those too after they flower.

Marilyn

This message was edited Feb 2, 2007 12:01 PM

I got Agastache 'Orange Flare' from High Country Gardens (one of their new introductions). It's another beauty and I have another one coming this Spring (along with some other Agastaches).

This photo was taken 9/19/06, late morning.

Marilyn

Edited to add....Salvia 'Lady in Red' is on the far left of the pic.

This message was edited Feb 2, 2007 12:02 PM

Agastache 'Heather Queen' with Agastache 'Orange Flare'. I found 'Heather Queen' at a local nursery and I just 'had' to get it! Beautiful as all Agastaches are! They smell great, look great and are long blooming. I love having plants that smell good, look great and are long blooming!

I'm always adding each year plants that attract the BF's and Hummers. Gotta take care of them!

9/19/06 pic.

Deborah and Murmur,
Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!!! Thanks for your nice comments!-------ditto what Marilynbeth said

I know i have put yrs of work into my gardens and i really love doing it. I plant a little of everything i guess!
The birds,bees and people come to the garden and all are welcome!
Each day is a new day in the garden with something different blooming. I think thats the most fun, finding something new blooming!

Notmartha,

Beautiful garden! Plants must really love growing where you live! Beautiful colors you have growing together!

Marilyn

This photo, I think, shows the whole plant of Salvia 'Indigo Spires'.

If one doesn't have this much space for it, a smaller identical Salvia is 'Mystic Spires Blue'. I planted both for the first time last year. Except for size, they look exactly the same.

Photo of Salvia 'Indigo Spires' taken on 9/25/06 late afternoon.

Marilyn

Salvia 'Mystic Spires Blue' with Agastache mexicana 'Acapulco Salmon & Pink' in front and to the right of it and Agastache aurantiaca 'Coronado' behind it and to the right of it.

Late afternoon of September 25, 2006.

This beauty is Agastache 'LSS Hot To Trot'.

It's an Lazy S'S Farm Nursery introduction that I bought last year from them. They haven't offered it yet this year and I don't know if they will offer it later during the year. (if they do, it will be listed under their "Recently Added Plants" link on their website).

I love it!

Took this photo on 10/3/06, late afternoon.

Here's another view of Agastache 'LSS Hot To Trot', which shows more of the whole plant. I don't know if this will survive the Winter ( I think it was listed as zone 7 ), but I hope it does. Agastaches sometimes take a season or two to reach their full size, so this is what it looked like by October 3, 06.

Marilyn

Here's another view of Agastache mexicana 'Acapulco Salmon & Pink' that I have in a different part of my yard.

With all my Salvias and Agastaches, I give them very well drained soil and add some 'all purpose' sand (I get it in 50 pound bags at Lowe's in the lumber section inside the store. Don't use the play sand, it's not good for drainage for plants). Iusually add more sand when planting the Agastaches and put pea gravel on top instead of wood mulch. They esp. like to be 'drier' year round and definitely in the Winter.

Late afternoon 10/3/06.

Marilyn

Marilynbeth you are the Agastache Queen! :)
Your flowers are beautiful too! :)
im going to end the day with a daylily

have a great weekend all!
its going to be -5 here with a windchill of -20's
cant wait for spring!
48days!

Notmartha,

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!!! Thanks for your nice words!

I love the Agasaches alot and keep buying them! I even potted up a plant of Agastache mexicana 'Acapulco Salmon & Pink' for my patio to see and smell it close. I knew the Hummers would delight in having another of 'their' plants close to 'their' feeder. I'm hoping that even though it was potted up that it stills grows for me in that container this year.

June 24, 06 pic on the patio in a plastic container.

Marilyn

Salvia leucantha (Mexican Bush or Velvet Sage) purple and white flowers. Beautiful! A closeup of the 'furry' flowers. You can see and feel it too ('furry'). I love it!

This is a late blooming Salvia. I had this in a 20" plastic pot on the patio that got full sun.

I took this photo late afternoon of 10/18/06.

Marilyn

And, here's 'part' of the plant blooming in October.

yea........we have that one (Salvia leucantha)......I will let you know this summer how my salvias and agastaches are doing..............there will be sun tomorrow i think............don't get lost as I am going to need everyone's suggestions for starting from scratch out here on the farm...
Everyone has gotten a new education in landscaping............never dreamed it would get this goooood!!

Gail,

LOL

Marilyn

Agastache 'Apricot Sunrise' with Salvia greggii 'Wild Thing' on October 18, 2006.

Here's the closeup of Agastache 'Apricot Sunrise' with Salvia greggii 'Wild Thing'.

Salvia leucantha 'All Purple' closeup of flower.

2 plants of Salvia leucantha 'All Purple'blooming in mid October.

Closeup of Veronica 'Royal Candles' on 10/18/06.

Veronica 'Royal Candles'with Lavender 'Hidcote Blue'on the left.

Lavender 'Hidcote Blue' on 10/18/06. Love the foliage color and the flower color!

When I plant Lavenders, I always make sure that it has excellent drainage with 'all purpose' sand mixed into with the soil. It has to have 'lean' (not fertile) soil so that it will be able to stay on the dry side, esp. during Winter. Need to add pea gravel around plant and not wood/bark mulch.



This message was edited Feb 2, 2007 9:29 PM

This message was edited Feb 2, 2007 9:34 PM

Closeup of Lavender 'Hidcote Blue' flower.

Gaillardia 'Oranges and Lemons' next to Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)'Ellen's Blue'. I love these 2 colors together!

Closeup of Gaillardia 'Oranges and Lemons' with bees on some of the flowers, a Monarch BF on one of the flowers of Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)'Ellen's Blue'.

Photo taken late afternoon of 10/18/06.

Closeup of flower of Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)'Ellen's Blue'.

I just planted that Gaillardia this last Fall - three of them. Is that Butterfly Bush a miniature? I, too, love those colors together, but my Butterfly Bushes grow BIG - even though I cut them to the ground every year.

Salvia leucantha purple and white flowers, blooming on the patio in its 20" pot on the afternoon of 10/22/06. Other Salvias are blooming next and behind it.