Well, at least SOMETHING is blooming! This is my memorial garden of Yvonne's Salvias. I have 22 plants in a pie-wedge-shaped bed in the middle of my backyard. Yvonne & her husband discovered this giant that appeared in the bed where they grew annual salvias every year, harvesting their own seeds to plant again the following year. Both Yvonne and her husband have passed away (Yvonne in January this year), but she wanted these special salvias shared with others. On the Hummingbird Forum this year we encouraged everyone to plant some of Yvonne's seeds in some way we deemed special, in remembrance of Yvonne. There is an effort under way to register this salvia in Yvonne's name and have them made available commercially.

There is just over a month's difference between these 2 pics...look closely & you'll see I'm standing in the same place in both pics. I'm just under 5' 11" and a few of the blooms have reached above 6'. (and yes, those are budded brugs flanking boths sides of the 2nd pic!)







Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

Beautiful, Patrick, just beautiful !!! I am so disappointed that Yvonne's salvia does NOT like my Texas heat, so I have finally given up on trying to get them to grow here. I was so excited when I first received seeds from Emily a few years back, and thought of so many places I could put them, but so far, germination has been poor (at it's best), and no plant has reached maturity for me. They just disappear.
I will have brugs blooming soon also, and what a treat that will be this season.
Such a bad brug year for me.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Wow that's some huge Salvia! It's a small world. I got some seeds in a seedbox & they were just labeled 'Yvonne's Salvia' with no other info. I'm glad I didn't put them in the front of the garden this year like I planned but I will definitely be planting them next year now that I've seen them. I love getting seeds with a story, it makes them that much more fun to grow.

Linda
Western MD
Zone 5b

It's a small world among gardeners, I did not know the story behind these salvias, but was also given some 3 years ago. Mine are 5 and 1/2 feet tall and a real hummingbird magnet.
Funny, I just googled these salvias and seems Yvonne lived about 10 miles away from me, in Springfield Mass. My seeds came to me by way of Michigan.

Sally
Zone 5b
heat zone 4
Enfield Connecticut



http://community.webshots.com/user/sallycummings

There is a wonderful story about Yvonne (and Emily) in a previous issue of Birds and Blooms Extra (think perhaps June 2007, but not sure).

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

If I remember correctly, Emily wrote the magazine article and in the process, became friends with Yvonne. Here's a pic of Yvonne & her husband in front of their salvia bed.




Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

Hello Everyone. I haven't been around for awhile but decided to pop in and see what y'all were up to and boy am I glad I did. Patrick your salvia looks awesome! I got my seed from Emily the very first round she offered it. I grew it for a few years and collected seed, but haven't planted in several years. Thanks for reminding me of what a great plant this was and I'm so glad to hear that it is in the process of being registered as Yvonne's.

Mine never looked as good as yours tho! You are obviously feeding those babies well. Nice job!


Zone 7
Heat Zone 6/7
Piedmont Triad, North Carolina

Oh my gosh...those salvia are beautiful, not to mention tall. What a lovely addition to your flower beds.

ChSam (Shirley Morr)
Chariton, Iowa
Zone 5

Isn't he a showoff, Shirley??? LOL........ I have never been able to get them to do anything here in North Texas .... so disappointing !!!!

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas