Sunday, August 31, 2008

A True Native Sage

Salvia azurea 'Nekan' has arrived from Plant Delights Nursery. Found wild just north of Lincoln, Nebraska (hey, that's where I live, isn't it?), this pitcher sage sports sky blue flowers and hairy stems with greyish leaves, growing 3-4' tall and 2-'3 wide. I figure it should do quite well here, don't you? No nasty alien invasives from Iowa or South Dakota for my garden--from now on, it's all Nebraska all the time.

I'd give you an image, but the few I've found are poor and / or copyrighted, so go here instead.

10 comments:

Gail said...

Benjamine,

You will love this beauty! I have Salvia azurea sps. and am waiting for it's bloom as I write! How wonderful that there is a salvia that allows you all Nebraska all the time azure blue!

Gail

Frances, said...

Ha, I love the quote from Harlan! It sounds like it could grow here in TN as well, since my friend Gail has it, good deal. Piet would approve!

Anonymous said...

Tony Avent is so priceless, and Plant Delights is a great nursery. It's rare when a nursery catalogue is as amusing as it is informative, but Tony manages to pull it off! He's good at finding cutting-edge plants, too.

Benjamin Vogt said...

Gail--I'm glad to here it does so well, but I don't know where to put it exactly. I'm just rying to balance all my fall bloomers so there's something unique in every corner.
Frances--Ah, Piet. Sitting in my chair looking out of the office window at the back yard, I know EXACTLY what I'd do the sod (after ripping it out). Oh, yes, exactly....
OFB--The catalog is almost like a book, required reading even. I'm new to it, as I am to lots of things garden-esque--like pruning, what's that exactly?

Anonymous said...

It looks like a wonderful Salvia. Plant Delights is one of my favorite mail order sources, they have such interesting & unusual specimens. Thanks for visiting my blog today. Looks like you are growing some great Baptisia in your garden too.

Benjamin Vogt said...

PGL--Baptisia, reminds me, I meant Twilight Prairie Blues and Carlonina Moonlight--that's what I have. Also have a smaller one that should be white, no idea on the name for THAT one....

Unknown said...

Argh... you got me started looking through PDN and now I'm gonna be late for work! :) Totally worth it, though. I think I could replace some of my floppy Russian sages with this NE native of yours...

Benjamin Vogt said...

Kim--At least you'll have a good excuse, right? I detest Russian sage and don't know why people have it. Including you. What's going on here? Huh?

Anonymous said...

Well, I don't have russian sage. Not sure that I detest it, just never got around to it. I love that salvia - but I love all of them. Google Lazy SS Farms (mail order) for a good salvia collection too - although Plant Delights (which is here on the east coast) is a place I just need to drive to one day and set up a tent, open a bottle of wine - and just breathe the air. Love them. I want to be one of their plant explorers. Desperately.

Benjamin Vogt said...

Pam--Oh that sounds like a delightful trip to PDN! I'll go check out Lazy. Hope Hannah is missing you....