Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips'

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips'

Salvia microphylla, as the name 'micro' suggests, is small in leaf and flower .The form Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' is probably the best known of the coloured cultivars as it is more flashy having white to contrast with the red to give it more impact. Plants will take quite hard pruning if they get out of shape .It is almost always in flower and provides food for nectar feeding birds. Ten out of ten!
2017 update: I am currently out of stock but have plants available on a regular basis.

Salvia involucrata 'Joan'

Salvia involucrata 'Joan'

This bright pink flowering Salvia forms a low twiggy bush to about 90cm and is continually in flower in a mild coastal garden. It is one from Australian Salvia expert Sue Templeton and named after her friend Joan who gave it to her. This particular plant is growing behind a pond and gets a fair amount of water but it is is tolerant of frost and drier inland gardens as well.
2017 update: I currently have stock available.

Salvia leucantha, Mexican Sage

Salvia leucantha in mixed planting along a driveway

Salvia leucantha

This is one of the best Salvias to grow as it is hardy across a range of climates and is tolerant of heat ,humidity as well as dry or frosty conditions. It can reach about 1.5 metres in height and spread though there is a dwarf compact form available as well called S. leucantha 'Santa Barbara'.Flowers are usually violet and white coloured though there is some variation with some darker forms found as well as white and pink forms,
2017 update: I have stock available but not the Santa Barbara which has PBR.

Salvia x 'Anthony Parker'

Salvia x 'Anthony Parker'

This Salvia grows to about 1.5 metre high and across. It has intense indigo flowers from now until winter. It was found as a chance seedling by American garden designer Frances Parker and is thought to be a hybrid between S leucantha and S elegans .Unfortunately, it is  one of the weak growing Salvias and often splits at the central growing point or has branches which break off in strong wind. This may be the result of trying to grow it in a warm coastal garden where growth is rapid .It may be better suited to a temperate climate as it is frost hardy down to about -2C.
2017 update: I no longer grow it.

Salvia splendens, Scarlet Sage

Salvia splendens 'Van Houtii' has maroon coloured flowersSalvia spendens mixed colours of red ,pink and purple

Salvia splendens is a native of Brazil and has been grown for many years as a Summer bedding plant particularly the scarlet coloured 'Bonfire' variety.  Because it is frost tender it is usually treated as an annual but in warmer climates its shelf life can be extended by a couple of years. It becomes woody with age and is very attractive to snails as well as being prone to mildew so it is best replaced after that time. A light pruning with hedge shears seems to be the way to keep it looking good .If you cut into the old wood it often fails to regrow well . It makes a good understory shrub in semi shaded spots in the garden.
2017 update: The Van Houtii form is particularly good in semi shade and one I continue to grow.

Salvia madrensis ,Gold Fountain Sage

Salvia madrensis
 Gold Fountain Sage

There are some 800 species of Salvia many of which have become popular garden plants. This is one of the tall growing species (2 metres) and is native to the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico. From now until winter it produces lots of these butter yellow flowers which attract honey eating birds. It has fairly brittle stems and is easily damaged by wind so it needs a sheltered spot to grow well. It is a good shade plant and can be grown along a fence line between buildings in a place which receives no sun in winter and then quite good light over summer. After flowering it can be cut to ground level to tidy it up. Otherwise it is generally fairly hardy but will only tolerate light frost.
2017 update: Oh dear What a monster. I no longer grow it.

End of Summer

Blue-bottle or Physalia or Portugese Man-o'-war

A coconut from the tropics

Despite wild seas ,lots of rain ,and water temperature turning colder by the minute, there is still lots to enjoy at the local beach. A coconut washed from afar covered in mussels and thousands of Blue-bottles appearing as a tangled mess at the high water mark made an impression today. Blue-bottles belong to the family Coelenterata (from koilos meaning hollow and enteron meaning intestine) and the group Hydrozoa (hyd water and zoa animals) In Coelenterata, which also include jelly-fish, corals and anemones ,the alimentary canal is not marked off from the body cavity so one space acts for both. The blue balloon like "float" is unique as it has accurate divisions into halves and quarters along the seam . They also make a loud popping sound when you step on one just for fun. Below the float hangs a cluster of dark blue polyps which have different functions, digestion,reproduction and defence.The defence tentacles are loaded with stinging capsules which leave a long red welt across your body if you happen across one while in the water.Ouch!

So from now less time at the beach and more time in the garden.