A Book of Salvias: Sages for Every Garden
The genus Salvia includes the common garden herb sage, as well as hundreds of species for the ornamental garden. Clebsch maintains a large collection of salvias in her garden in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, a location well suited to these plants, many of which are native to dry habitats around the world. A few species and hybrids of Salvia are popular bedding plants in the United States, but most of the species described here will be familiar only to collectors. For each species, Clebsch provides a description of the plant and its flowers, native setting, directions for cultivation and propagation, placement in the garden, and desirable companion plants. Appendixes include display gardens and sources for plants and seeds, a flowering guide by season, and other lists of species by various characteristics. There is a wealth of information here for gardeners interested in trying unusual Salvias, but the scholarly tone and the obscurity of the profiled plants may put off casual readers. Recommended for comprehensive gardening collections, especially in California.?Beth Clewis Crim, Prince William P.L., Va.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.