Re: Salvia for shade?

In a message dated 10/30/02 8:57:39 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
genebush@otherside.com writes:


>     JoAn just went through all her raised beds with shovel and knife...
> almost everything got popped up from the raised beds, and cut in half, put
> back or discarded depending upon their performance the last two years. 
> Quite
> a bit ended up on the compost pile. Some is potted up for trading or MG
> meetings next year. I hear hints of one more row of raised beds....
> 


JoAn has it right.  I think it took me years to make decisions on something 
that I grew from seed or hunted down with anticipation.  Some things don't 
like your conditions or you decide you are not really pleased with them.  
There is no reason to go on with valuable improved space being occupied by 
plants that do not please when so many others are waiting in the wings.  Some 
perennials have such a short season of bloom, Siberian irises for example, 
that you need a good reason to grow them.

I have composted many Siberian irises keeping only a dozen that do well and 
have good foliage.  One walks around the garden and it strikes you that you 
really do not find a plant satisfying.  In recent years, I will pull it out 
right on the spot before the mood passes and I have never been sorry.  Some I 
like so much that I divide and plant large drifts of them.  Overtime the 
gardener changes but I think one of the most important qualities you can have 
to keep it all fesh and interesting is to know when to put a plant on compost 
pile.

One more word on Salvia that does not do well in the North or in wet 
climates.  A friend with his zany collection in pots, an entire garage full, 
keeps several Salvias over the winter potted.  Some adapt well to containers 
and live for years that way if you are succesful in keeping them dormant.  I 
guess I will throw in that Nicotianas will also remain dormant in a pot and 
be in bloom in the North in May.

Another Salvia/Nicotiana trick I learned by accident is to plant one of these 
immediately adjacent to the foundation wall, under the eaves.  The roots will 
go quite deep in this dry area against the warmest wall and to my amazement 
live over the worst winters in zone 4.  This occured when these plants seeded 
themselves into the foundation and in the case of Nicotiana alata, have been 
growing as perennials there for many years. 

Claire Peplowski
NYS z4

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