Dear starting out,
Salvias are probably the most underrated plant in the garden .
Very easy to grow and propagate by either stem cuttings or seed or you can layer them by bending the stem over the ground pegging it down and covering with a layer of good soil or compost. They can be either perrenial or annual and both respond well to cutting back. They will reshoot at twice the thickness. They flower most of the year and will tolerate both sunny and shady places. Colours vary from blues purples pinks reds bicolours and white,growth habit varies greatly, and most have either medicinal or culinary properties, sage being the most well known culinary variety.
I can usually strike cuttings most of the year so when cutting back strike a few and keep your plant going strong as they will eventually die off after 4-5 years. I hope this information helps you, keep your eye out for them in nurseries they can come in punnet form or small pots as established plants.
Regards Kirsten.

I agree these are much underrated plants. I have the ornamental as well as the culinary types and the loveliest is the purple leaved sage. I am creating a bed near my drive that will have salvias as the main planting. They are so graceful and the colours so lovely. I cut them back in autumn if they are straggly and they seem to appreciate the haircut. I found a few blue ones in Bunnings the other day - unfortunate smell ( like the cat) but very pretty wands of colour.

Linda

I am trying to find the address/email/www.
of the lady who grows the salvias, she puts out a list/brochure of the ones she grows to sell. All I can remember is she was known as the salvia lady, lives in the country, has a book on salvias, and sells them. If anyone knows her address, or how to contact her re salvias I would be grateful
Robyn

her name is sue temptlon just do search on salvias australia and it should come up she has heaps of salvias and is my favorite

Here is Sue Templtons nursery website. It has a wonderful variety of salvias.

Here is a link that might be useful: salvia nursery website

I decided to do an edge of purple salvia instead of lavender, in front of my roses. I have looked for cheap plants in tubes, to no avail, but today decided to simply strip my larger plant, and put 20 cuttings straight into the ground where I want them to grow. They are an easy plant to grow from cuttings. I planted fairly thickly in case I lose a few.

If you are anywhere near the Gympie area there is a couple who run a wholesale nursery but sell at the local markets who specialise in Salvias. They also participate in the open garden scheme. Can't think of their name at the moment but will look it up. They do sell from their property by appointment. Also have beautiful daylillies.

One word of warning, I have a few salvias and most are alright but I have a red one (not the annual) which seeds everywhere and can become a pest, I have been pulling them out for ages and still can't get rid of it. I don't know what it's called, I bought it from a garage sale.

Anyway good luck, they are beautiful plants.

Thank you all

I will try all tips ...
But would love more tips..Im in Semaphore (sea side) Adelaide

Cheers

Hello,

If the salvia you brought is the Black Knight it is 1 of the easiest salvias to get cuttings from, just take a cutting about 15cm long put it in a pot & wait. Spring & Summer are the best time to do it. The warmer it is the quicker it is. Here is a pic of the Black Knight.

Cheers Annette

Here is a link that might be useful:

Hey gold hills, and gang,

It sounds like the the original message was about Salvia splendens which can come ina range of colours fromt he purple to the red and yes they bloody brillinat for crap soil, dry weather, and sunny positions. But the species is Salvia Splendens if you wished to know.