Blue is one of the most sought after colors in the flower border and if you wait too long once the growing season arrives it will be pink or orange for you. One of the best sources of this treasured color lies with salvias like Victoria Blue, the All America Selections- winning Strata and Evolution, as well as the new Cathedral Deep Blue and Velocity Blue.
Though you may be buried under a blanket of snow, now is the time to be thinking about how you'll incorporate them into your garden.
These salvias are also important in that they also provide a spiky texture rising above the imaginary horizontal plane creating excitement in the garden.
Botanically speaking, these are all Salvia farinacea and known commonly as mealy-cup sage. Though that is not such a romantic name these are summer-long performers treasured as annuals over much of the country. Those living in warmer areas zone 8 and higher will find them to be hardy perennials. Even in zone 7 they are often found to return come spring if drainage is exceptional especially during the winter.
To maximize your blooming potential select a site in full sun. Make your soil fertile by incorporating three to four inches of organic matter like compost peat or humus. These plants will reach from 18 to 36 inches in height depending on variety and length of growing season. They will spread somewhat so space 12 to 15 inches apart.
They most often are sold in six-inch sized containers. Plant at the same depth they are growing in the container. A wide hole with loose fertile soil will let the roots to expand quickly allowing them to get acclimated to your garden.
This wonderful group of plants has the potential of putting on a dazzling show until frost arrives if they old flowers are kept removed. In late summer they can be cut back, which will enhance the bushiness and allow them to put on a show for fall.
The mealy-cup sage is native to Texas and Mexico and is fairly drought tolerant. Do pay attention during prolonged dry spells, watering deeply but infrequently. Start feeding with light applications of slow-released fertilizer about every six to eight weeks with the emergence of spring growth
To cause the most attention grabbing display in your landscape choose their opposite or complementary color orange or yellow. These play off each other in a resounding marriage of excitement. Marigolds, rudbeckias, lantanas and zinnias represent some of the better partners.
Another choice color to use is hot pink. It may resemble those old fashioned pink and blue baby blankets but it is a sizzling look. Look for partners like petunias, zinnias and even geraniums.
These are the dream plants for the cottage style garden and look grown in front of white picket fences draped with David Austin or antique roses. You'll find these to be the favorites of bees and several kinds of butterflies, adding to your garden enjoyment.
Blue is a treasured color in the garden so once spring planting season arrives don't procrastinate. Be early and by all means select some of these award-winning salvias.
Norman Winter is vice president for college advancement, Brewton Parker College, Mount Vernon, Ga., and author of the highly acclaimed "Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South" and his newest release, "Captivating Combinations Color and Style in the Garden."