Of all the perennials and shrubs in the garden, I do believe the hummingbirds prefer salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue' above all others! I already had four established B&B in the garden (photo at right, taken in mid-July). The hummingbirds line up to wait their turn to feed from the large tubular blooms, so I have made this plant a priority. With my recent plant shopping trip, I added three container plantings of B&B combined with bright colored lantana. I also added four more salvia B&B plants in the garden. Once the weather turns colder, I'll transplant the salvia from the containers into the garden as well.
I've heard that this salvia can grow from 3 to 6 feet in height and 1 to 3 feet in width. My experience is 3x3. However, my original salvia was planted a year ago, so I may have a much bigger plant in subsequent years. It is supposed to be hardy in zones 7 through 10. Mine are planted in full sun. The deer don't eat it; the bunnies don't eat it. It blooms all summer until frost.
This evening as the sun was setting, the hummingbirds were flitting about our garden. My husband and I were sitting on our front porch watching the evening display. The little birds fed from the newly planted salvia B&B in the garden as well as from the new containers. One little female came up on the porch a few times and hovered about two feet away from us. Priceless!
I put one of these in my garden this year and I really wish I had bought a few more. It's a gorgeous bloomer as well as hummingbird magnet. :) Stop by my blog I have an award for you! :)
ReplyDeleteI stopped by! Thank you so much for the award! :-) You'll have to tell me more about passing it forward.
ReplyDeleteHi Cameron, what a beautiful garden you have and that shot of the hummer with black and blue is fantastic! Well done. I have planted black and blue, the first time it died, the second time it has done better, but has taken several years to spread and finally have some impact. I likes extra water during our drought in TN even though the claim for it is xeric. It has spread from roots and comes up a little ways from the original planting, a happy surprise.
ReplyDeleteFrances at Faire Garden
I've just recently become interested in Salvias and want to try growing some as annuals.
ReplyDeleteI love anything that draws hummingbirds, of course, and also love blue flowers.
It looks very pretty in the container with the lantana. I love it by the water too.
I also fell in love with a pinkish red salvia at the Cornell Plantations in Ithaca where our daughter was married in '06, and would like to plant some of that too. Perhaps next summer I'll get it done.
I'd be happy to exchange links...thank you! :)
We've been having summer in September here this week. It's hot and dry! August was cool and wet for the most part.
Thanks for sharing the salvia info.
The hummers like this in Austin too, though S. guaranitica requires afternoon shade in our hot climate. It's fairly drought-tolerant though.
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