My other sages are smaller or low growing and primarily along the front of the garden, next to the low wall. When the CA Poppies were growing, they ended up covering some of my plants, one of which was a sage and eventually it died. I wasn’t very happy about losing it and I must say that you have to be careful when you plant Poppies, because they will take over and smother smaller plants.
There is a really beautiful, low growing sage called, Bees Bliss (Salvia clevelandii x sonomensis OR Salvia leucophylla x sonomensis), on the right side of the garden in the front of the wall. It has a beautiful silver gray leaf and when it’s blooming, the flowers are a delicate white color.
Fuchsias
It is sharing the area with California Fuchsias/Silver Select (Zauschneria). These are beautiful Fuchsias, about 18″ high and mounding and they have been blooming all summer long. The Hummingbirds are particularly partial to them and have set up a turf war over who gets to dominate the territory. Sometimes they even confront me and act as though I’m an intruder!
On the opposite side of the walkway, I have Tera Seca sage (Salvia mellifer x Salvia sonomensis). I don’t know what the variety is of the Sonomenis, but they are low growing, green leaves and spreading. This is the type that the Poppies smothered and I intend to replace it in the next couple of months when I’ve been to the Native Plant Garden sales.
There is more to cover on sages but I will finish up with that later. Right now I want to provide some information for the Plant Sales that are coming up. If your garden is almost ready to be planted, you will want to attend the sales and buy your plants. And be ready to run around a lot and bump into other Native plant people who are madly dashing to grab their favorites. And it’s fun, just enjoy yourself!
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Annual Plant Sale. Saturday & Sunday, November 1 & 2. There will be thousands of plants and it’s free admission. For details www.rsabg.org or call 909-625-8767.
Theodore Payne Foundation Plant Sale. October 3-4 and October 10-11. A huge variety to chose from and it’s free. For details www.theodorepayne.org or call 818-768-1802
Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens Plant Sale. Oct 10th- Nov. 9th. Go early, otherwise you won’t have a large choice in plants if you wait until November and it’s free. For details www.sbbgorg. 805-682-4726
