Plant growth is definitely slow due to the partial shade conditions. In fact, I have some tree people coming out to remove a couple of strategic trees today that hopefully will improve the situation. But since I had the same situation in the containers last year, which I think got more sun, I was a little worried that removing the trees wouldn't help. I'll report back and let you know if everything takes off with more sun... thanks for your thoughts. :)

Do the flowers and leaves of your plant look the same as the ones in my photo? Is it possible your plant is the same and was sold under a different name? Sometimes the same plant is commonly known by a different name, depending on the region. Perhaps try googling the name you know your plant by and see if it has any AKA's. My original plants came from purchased seed that was labeled by the name I use and when I look up the plant online, it appears to be the same plant as the one I grow. On the Burpee's seed site, shown below, the description reads: "Salvia, Lady In Red Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. All-America Selection Winner. Lady In Red is a superb selection of the wildflower, Salvia coccinea, with its open and airy bright red, 6-8" spikes. Sow seeds indoors 8 weeks before last frost. Native wildflower." I would understand this to mean 'Lady in Red' is a superior performing version of the wildflower, Salvia coccinea. Perhaps you have the wildflower version of this plant, if not 'Lady in Red'. Mary Here is a link that might be useful: Burpee's seed description

Well, I called another couple of nurseries including Habershams, and managed to find several 3gal there. Meanwhile, I've been trying to cobble together a landscape album to share which covers the last 3-4 years of changes in our yard, including the msot recent stuff like the absolutely amazing new retention wall that Brad Longanecker (aka 'vroomp' here @ Gardenweb, I highly, highly recommend him!) built for us this past couple of weeks. Found some pictures of my last grass-removal experience from last spring and the end results, thought I would share. I am sure people in my neighborhood probably think I'm completely nuts for happily cutting out a good 60% of the grass in my yard and replacing it with veggie gardens and plants, but ... oh well :)

I secound the fertile soil bit. For me in red clay with probably above average soil fertility most peas planted 3ft apart between rows will meet in the center and will be thigh high. At my inlaws and parents were their soil is not as well amended as mine and is still redclay but the field variety with no irrigation their peas grow about half the size of mine but still produce ample amounts of peas probably equall to mine. I add no imputs to my ground for peas but I do plant crimson clover as a cover crop each fall and heavily mulch with hay so my soil is very loose and dark and I do irrigate so I get more than normal vine growth. Peas and other southern crops ( okra sweet potatoes etc) saved the south after the civil war. They grew and flourished in poor soil and in the years of drought. I have seen peas in a field at my inlaws down the road in red clay so dry and hard a pick was needed to make a hole produce several bushels of peas from just a few 100ft rows. The peas where only a foot tall and wide but where full of pods. Rodger