Salvias, ‘The Shambles’ 2020

Salvia “Meigans Magic”

 

We have been able to maintain and expand our Salvia and Salvia like Perennial collection in 2017 going into 2017

Of all the plants we have which are easy to propagate, easy to grow and freely give such wonderful colour in sun and shade the Salvias stand out. Various Salvias have been grown in Australian gardens from the 19th century but the range of available species and cultivars has expanded greatly in the last few decades.

For Salvias we have referred to “The New book of Salvias” Betty Clebsch, Florilegium 2003 as well as Newsletters of the Salvia Study group, Victoria for detail and expertly researched notes about these plants. We also refer to “Salvias in South East Queensland” by Barbara Wickes 2006 (revised and reissued 2012). In the decade or more since the publications Salvia hybridization and collection has grown. By preference we prefer to look for Salvia species to collect.

Of Historical interest in Queensland the 1875 Brisbane Botanic Gardens Catalogue mentions Salvia azurea, S. coccinea, S. officinalis, S. patens, S. plebia, S. pratensis, S. afracanus and S. splendens. The catalogue of the Brisbane 1885 Botanic and Acclimatization gardens included Salvia azurea, S.coccinea, S.fulgens, S.hoveyi, S.officinalis, S.patens and S.splendens.  Many of our perennial Salvias listed below were not mentioned in 19th century catalogues and according to Clebsch (2003) were not in gardens until the 1980s. The 1962 Brisbane Botanical gardens Catalogue records Salvia argentea, S. azurea, S. farinacea, S involucrata, S. leucantha, S. patens and Salvia splendens as well as S. splendens variegated.

“The Shambles” Collection of PERENNIAL SALVIAS 2022

Salvia Adenophora syn. S.pulchella but I think it is always given its correct name nowadays. S.Adenophora is a tall shrub with bright scarlet flowers mainly in autumn and winter and pleasant light green foliage. Oaxaca, Mexico,  Central Shrub Garden, NE Azalea Garden

Salvia ‘Boundary Creek’  may be a cross between S. scabra and ‘Finngrove’, found in a local garden. Flowers: are a pale mauve, thin tubular flowers with small hood and a long flared bottom lip. Calyces: are green, but often colour on the exposed sides , ribbed into distinct 3 lobes above and 2 below, each lobe is sharply pointed and slightly flared. Leaves: are bright green, small and  beautifully lobed. Each lobe is separated well before the next. The texture is rough with a blunt apex. The leaves have a pleasing  aroma which is pleasant when brushing past the shrub.  Garden Hybrid  Fenced Rose Garden

Salvia amarissima bitter Mexican Sage. Blue flowering, in South rose garden Mexico South Rose garden, North Rose garden

Salvia splendens x buchananii “Embers Wish” Bright coral flowers bloom year-round in frost-free climates, A beautiful strong Salvia in our garden, South Rose Garden, Front Path Driveway

Salvia splendens x buchananii “Kisses and Wishes”  A newly bred  bright pink Salvia. Developed by Sussex-based nurserywoman Sarah Knott. Ours a gift from friend Glennis Gray. East Border Garden, North Rose Garden

Salvia splendens x buchananii “Love and Wishes” raised by  Australian breeder John Fisher and the third in the ‘Wish’ series. Reddish-purple flowers with dark burgundy calyces and stems over a long flowering period East Border Garden

Salvia splendens x buchananii “Wendys Wish” fast growing variety displays vibrant magenta flowers for much of the year (warmer months). East Border gardens

Salvia  chiapensis x leucantha “Majenta Magic” Flowers on long wands carrying deep magenta flowers above a vigorous bush some 80 cm or so tall. It flowers from summer through the autumn into winter in sun or light shade. NE corner of back verandah next to Salvia confertifolia

Salvia coccinea (red), Salvia coccinea (white), Salvia coccinea bicolor  (salmon pink and white), Low growing self-seeding hardy, short lived perennial. A prolific donor plant in our climate. USA 1.1875, 1A.1885, 7.1897, 10.1855, 13.1900/1 East Border Gardens, South Rose garden, Fenced Rose garden, Central Shrub garden

Salvia confertifolia Tall salvia with corrugated leaves and quite long spikes of small orange flowers with an orange brown calyx. Brazil. NE corner of verandah.

Salvia corrugata is a perennial shrub native to Columbia, Peru, and Ecuador, growing at 8000-9800 ft elevation. It was brought into horticulture about 2000 as a result of a collecting trip to South America in 1988. All the plants in cultivation today are from six seeds that germinated from that trip. replaced dec 22

Salvia curviflora bright pink, majenta flowers summer/autumn, South rose garden Mexico Fenced Rose garden, Rock garden, South Rose Garden

Salvia discolor Black/green flowers on a lax low growing shrub with sticky grey foliage. Peru  South Rose garden

Salvia dorisiana This is a late winter-early spring flowering shrub which grows up to 2m tall. It has large velvety leaves which have a delicious scent of fruit salad, and spires of quite large hot-pink flowers. It can cope with a degree of shade. Fenced Rose garden, Raised rock garden, East Border Garden 

Salvia elegans syn.S.rutilans. (Pineapple Sage) The Pineapple scented foliage is quite attractive. Small red flowers are bee attracting. North of house, near cloths line and rock circle garden. There is a close variant of this Salvia with more camphorated scent under the cloths line. Mexico North Rose garden, Back Verandah, Fenced Rose garden

Salvia rutilans syn. S.elegans Golden foliage Pineapple sage South Rose garden, Central Lawn Borders

Salvia flocculosa   Ecuadorian sage (Blue) The flowers, which seem to never stop blooming, are strongly marked with white bee lines. Ecuador North Pool Embankment  LOST

Salvia gesneriiflora “Tequila” Tall rangy shrub with Red/Black flowers in loose spikes. Tolerates sun and part shade. Easily sruck from cutting Colombia Front Path Garden,

Salvia greggii ‘Mirage Burgundy’ produces bright, fragrant flowers in a mix of burgundy, red, and magenta. Heat- tolerant Mirage has more color for gardens and containers. It provides early-season and summer- long blooming. The plant attracts butterflies.  Salvia Mirage series is a group of of tender Salvia with many bold colors that will bloom all most continually through out the summer. Species plant Salvia greggii is a shrubby native of Mexico and southernmost states of USA Cultivar Origin     “Darwin Perennials” many bold colored cultivars such as: deep purple, salmon, white, cherry red, deep pink, neon rose, pink, soft pink, violet and cream., flowers borne on a raceme, florets start at the bottom of the raceme, after continual flowers throughout the growing season the raceme will be long and with only a few florets blooming at the apex Fenced Rose Garden

Salvia guaranitica Tall spreading clump forming shrub with clear Mid-Blue flower spikes in summer. Tolerates shade. Brazil North verandah and central gardens. Back Verandah, Central Shrub garden

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Bloom”  Deep blue with black calyces  Ovate, wrinkled, pointed, lightly-toothed, dark green leaves. Cultivar Brazil, Paraguay. Central Lawn and Borders

Salvia guaranitica “Red and Bloom” red flowers, dull red calyx lightly toothed leaves. North Rose garden, near Hypericum

Salvia guaranitica x gesneriifolia “Purple Majesty”. A tall plant with the classic square stems and large serrated leaves. Flower spikes are Royal Purple throughout the year but mostly in the warmer months. Criss Cross garden, Near Coral Fountain

Salvia holowayi (Holways sage), low growing red flowers. Guatamala, Mexico Raised stone wall neat back stairs  LOST

Salvia involucrata. Tall spreading lax shrub with round stems. Large Pink flowers which are quite closed. Easily grown from cutting tolerates sun and shade. Autumn-winter flowering. Mexico 12.1962. Widespread, including Driveway, Front embankment,

Salvia involucrata. Var “Bethellii” Tall free flowering shrub. Flowers better colour and form than Involucrata varieties. Autumn-Winter flowering.  Mexico, hybrid. Mainly north of the house. Central Shrub garden, 

Salvia involucrata “Joan” Tall shrub bright pink flowers. East Border gardens

Salvia involucrata cultivar “Pink Icicles”. Tall lax shrub with large flowers of soft pink and white. Easily struck from cutting, hardy in dry shade and on an exposed embankment. NE boundary garden NE Border garden

Salvia involucrata “Romantic Rose” a Bright pink flowering variety. Planted gatehouse

Salvia involucrata “Warwick Joan” mid pink flower colour. A very strong Salvia. Stone wall garden near back stairs

Salvia involucrata x karwinskii “Follets Folly” crimson to red flowering tall perennial shrub. East Border garden, Central Shrub Garden

Salvia iodantha Very tall, spectacular shrub with clusters of magenta flowers at end of long arching stems. Easily propagated from cutting. Spring-Summer flowering. Mexico. West of pool fence and the fenced rose garden

S. karwinskii  ‘ Redsprite’  strong upright growth form, growing to at least 3m, it has greyish leaves but much redder flowers. The flowering stem isn’t as dense as species form, but produces copious number of these red flowers. Garden Hybrid Mexico. Behind pool embankment

Salvia leucantha Medium sized perennial shrub with reliable mauve calyx and white flower spikes. Semideciduous. Mexico 12.1962. Central Lawn and borders.

Salvia leucantha ‘Midnight” purple flower and calyx. Semideciduous Front path garden, Fenced Rose garden

Salvia leucantha cv “Velour Pink” Robust Salvia Pink and white flowers. North Rose garden

Salvia leucantha cv “Red Harry”. Semideciduous Salvia Purple flowers nd Calyx. North Rose garden

Salvia leucantha hybrid “Velour White” White flowers, white calyx on this variety with white flowers. NW corner pool fence. Lost 2017 replaced 2018.

Salvia x leucantha “Meigans Magic” grey tone in foliage. Meigan’s Magic is a chance hybrid discovered in 2005 in the garden of Robyn  and Ian Powell at Mylor, South Australia.  Named after their grand daughter, Meigan, the young seedling was found under Salvia leucantha which is assumed to be one parent, but the other is unknown. White flower in purple calyx. A very successful Salvia in our climate. Front path garden, South Rose Garden

Salvia leucantha X elegans `Anthony Parker’ spectacular dark purple flowers throughout late spring to late autumn. A low ‘shrubby’ Salvia which has great tolerance of our hot, dry conditions Pool Embankment Garden, Stone Circle

Salvia macrophylla Larger heart shaped, stick, aromatic leaves with spikes of sky-blue flowers in summer. Columbia, Peru, Bolivia. Central lawn and Borders, Driveway

Salvia macrophylla “Purple leaf” Like green leaved S. macrophylla Cobalt blue flowers Peru North lawn garden,Stone Circle Steps

Salvia madrensis. Very tall salvia with large leaves and square stems. The flowers are on long spikes of bright Yellow. Very tough and easy to care for but large dominating plant.Mexico Gardens east side of the house. East Border garden, Central lawn and Borders, NW Corner Garden

Salvia mexicana “Limelight”   Central Shrub garden , Central L:awn Borders

Salvia mexicana var. “Lollie Jackson” Dark blue flowers, Black calyx on a tall shrub with the classic square stems. Reliable easily struck from cutting. Mexico. Gardens east and SE of house.

Salvia microphylla “Hot lips”. Very hardy in our garden, tolerating dry and moist shade. Easily propagated from cutting. Distinctive crimson-red margin on flower. summer flowering. Fenced Rose garden, Rock wall garden South and North Rose Gardens

Salvia microphylla ‘Huntington Red’ is an evergreen plant, growing from 70cm to 1 meter and spreading from 60 to 75cm. It has a shrubby growth habit with many thin, but firm and upright stems. The striking dark coloured stems approach black in colour and show off the red flowers. The calyces are almost black North West Corner Stone Circle

Salvia microphylla  “Mirage”  fairly robust small shrub , red flowering North Rose Garden

Salvia microphylla “Miss Scarlet” low growing but erect Salvia cultivar  red flowers. Near Fenced rose garden

Salvia microphylla “Penny’s Smile”. Crimson pink flowers. Fenced rose garden

Salvia microphylla “Angel Wings” Soft Pink flowers. In rock wall garden at back stairs among Plectranthus cultivars

Salvia microphylla “Glimmer” creamy white flowers  Front Path Garden

Salvia microphylla (heatwave series) “Glow” Glow produces mass displays of soft peach to apricot coloured flowers. North Rose garden

Salvia microphylla (“Heat wave series” Salvias) but with glossy aromatic foliage. Brittle stems. Red flower, black calyx. East of fenced rose garden.

Salvia miniata (Belize Sage) Tall, apple green glossy foliage, bright red flowers. Easily grows from cutting, hardy in shade including dry shade. Flowers throughout the year.  Mexico. Central lawn and borders, NE corner garden

Salvia namaensis x africana “Fingrove” blue flowering. Fenced Rose Garden, Central Shrub Garden, North Rose garden  LOST Replaced with “Boundary Creek” as trial

Salvia officinalis included variegated cultivar low growing culinary and medicinal sage Europe to central Asia 1.1875 Only survives in containers for us  Fenced Rose Garden, Box behind North Berandah

Salvia “Omaha Gold” (Variegated Anise-Scented Sage) Rumpled and lance-shaped, the spectacular leaves of this sage are yellowish-lime with splotches of emerald. Rub them and you smell anise, a licorice-like scent. The bountiful, cobalt blue flowers cover the plant from summer Central Shrub garden near S. oxyphora

Salvia pallida Pale Sage. Tall, Oval leaves scalloped edges, pale blue flowers Argentina Fenced Rose garden, North Rose garden, North West Corner Stone Circle

Salvia x “Phyllis Fancy” White and mauve flowers and purple calyx. Near side stairs in quite a shaded position. East Border garden

Salvia puberula is a medium growing shrub reaching up to 1- 1.5 meter high by a similar width, although it may not reach this size in Australian gardens. It has lime green, heart shaped leaves that may be up to 10 cm long. The leaves and much of the stem and flowers are be covered in fine hairs. The winter flowers are held on top of a floral spike and are usually pink, although the tone may vary. They extend out at various angles looking much likely a large hairy pink spider. Mexico. Pool embankment  LOST

Salvia purpurea, officially we should call it Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’ (syn. Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurea’), however the common name will do. This is a plant that will tolerate light shade and still produce good colored foliage. It copes well with warm climates and is generally an easy care plant If you are looking for something a little different in the border, this could be it as it is one of the best ‘Purple Leafed’ salvias for foliage available, it also flowers.. Originally from the Mediterranean this is a wonderful low growing evergreen salvia with very attractive purple foliage, Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurescens’ (pictured right) will reach from 30cm – 50cm+.

Salvia oxyphora (Bolivian Hummingbird Sage), Tall vigorous shrub, Tubular crimson pink flowers with fine hairs Bolivia Peru Central Shrub Garden, Front Path Garden

Salvia purpurea is a tall evergreen which flowers in winter with jacaranda coloured flowers. It is a tall brittle plant, similar to iodantha in growth and flower but a different flower colour.  The foliage also tends to have a grey tinge. In the mountains near Puerto Vallarta in Mexico iodantha is a very common plant but S.iodantha grows at a different altitude. Ours from cuttings Chris Donlen at Obi. East Border Garden

Salvia splendens, unnamed tall varieties of this perennial Salvia in our garden include a cultivar with mauve and white flowers, one with White flowers and Red flowering with variegated foliage, as well as one with White/Red. Many shrubs persist and can flower throughout the year in sun or shade. Brazil 1.1875, 1A.1885, 7.1897, 10.1855, 12.1962, 13.1900/1.Tall Reliable Salvia in most areas of the Garden

Salvia splendens ‘Ellie’ is a tall upright perennial that grows from 1 to 2 meters high. The ovate, light green leaves are quite large, deeply veined and have a pebble like texture and serrated edges. They look a little like the leaves of old fashioned roses. The flowers are coral pink-red and have a long tubular section and small lip at the end. The bracts are slightly darker, with a brown red tone that seems to deepen as the flowers open. The flower, or corolla, is twice as long as the bracts. Front Path, North Rose Garden

Salvia splendens  Burgundy stripe

Salvia splendens Scarlet stripe

Salvia splendens “Van Houttei” A tall cultivar of Salvia splendens with red-maroon flowers . Tall and vigorous, strikes easily from cutting.  Throughout Central shrub garden, East Border garden

Salvia splendens variegated  (Variegated Scarlet Sage) Crimson flowers topping bright yellow foliage mottled with deep green

Salvia “Superior Purple” small leaf salvia purple flowers. Delightful plant on Front Path garden  LOST 2020. Replaced either side of front gate, South Rose Garden

Salvia transsylvanica is a herbaceous perennial native to a wide area from north and central Russia to Romania. It was described and named in 1853 by botanist Philipp Johann Ferdinand Schur, with the specific epithet referring to the Transylvanian Alps located in central Romania From Glennis  Front gate 2020 LOST

Salvia “Waverley” Medium sized reliable low maintenance plant. Flowers are white, pale pink to mauve calyx throughout. Spring and Summer. Vigorous, strikes easily from cutting. Near gatehouse and eastern boundary garden 

Salvia x buchananii “Wendys Wish” fast growing variety displays vibrant magenta flowers for much of the year (warmer months). East Border gardens

Salvia uliginosa (Bog Sage). Sky blue flowers . Moderate height and invasive locally. Easily propagated. Spring-Summer flowering. East of gatehouse, front garden

Salvia wagneriana Tall, winter flowering salvia . This Salvia certainly looks like an involucrata, but it produces  green round stems and has a similar arching habit to approx 3-4mH. There are two flower forms, a normal pink form and a paler version. The flower head is very compact a the end of the stem with many flowers being attached in a bunch. Central America. Pool embankment

Salvia yangii, syn. Perovskia  Russian Sage is a subshrub, rather than an herbaceous perennial, meaning that it has a woody base, but herbaceous top growth, so follows the pattern of perennials sufficiently to find its place amongst them.  The only difference in treatment is that, instead of cutting its stems right to the ground, you retain a woody skeleton of 15-20cm in height.  So far I’ve only found it to sucker around gently, though one or two gardeners have reported to me that it’s threatened a take-over bid.  Way more gardeners have lamented that they’ve never been able to make it happy.  Given its incredible contribution, I’d always recommend giving it a go.  Or another go.  Or another.But the plant itself hasn’t changed. And what a great plant it is.  While at its climax in late summer and autumn, it’s a buoyant haze of lavender-blue above lovely grey foliage. How to grow Remove old growth in late winter – spring when new stems emerge. Prune back by half after flowering in summer to encourage a second flush of flowers in autumn. Divide plants every 4 years for maximum productivity. near back stairs

We have placed these perennials with the Salvia list as they complement each other and do similar work in the garden design. They have spike or labiate flowers or flower structure which is reminiscent of the appearance of some of the Salvias.

RELIABLE “SALVIA”-LIKE PERENNIALS .

Aloysia triphylla,( Lemon scented Verbena) This plant has delightful scented foliage and a  loose Salvia like form. These are slow to get going in our conditions, for some reason. Prof. Ortega, of Madrid, sent specimens from South America to Mons. L’Heritier at Paris, where Dr. Sibthorp obtained it, on his return from Greece, and introduced it to Britain in 1784. Probably at Camden Park NSW from 1850. Certainly in Queensland by the later 19th century. Chile- Argentina 1A.1885 (Lippia citriodora?), 6.1897, 7.1897, 9.1851, 10.1855, 13.1900/1,15.Camden Central lawn and Borders, Front Path garden Fenced Rose Garden

Brillantasia subulugurica. Large leafed, lax shrub with quite large mauve/Blue flowers reminiscent of but larger than Salvia flowers. First collected in 1818 by Paliscot de Beauvois in Benin along with various other species collected from Africa, the taxonomy of which has been revised over the years by Bentham, Hooker and others. West Africa 15.Camden Blue Trellis gardens, Eastern Border garden, NW Corner

Dicliptera suberecta. Soft sprawling grey foliage plant with tubular orange Salvia like flowers, this plant has spread happily and self seeds in semishaded areas. I thought that this was some sort of salvia initially. Uruguay Stone Circle, East Border gardens

Hypoestes aristata Ribbon Bush is a fast-growing shrub that grows up to 1.5 m high. It produces soft, hairy, dark green oval leaves and has attractive lilac  pink or white  flowers borne in spike-like inflorescences. It flowers from May right through winter till early spring. It is not unlike salvia really as the clouds of small flowers compliment the garden as salvias do and makes up for the tendency to self seed. Easy to strike from cutting, low maintenance South Africa, Eastern Cape in the south to tropical Africa East Border Garden

Hypoestes floribunda Erect perennial, herb or shrub, 0.3-0.9 m high. Fl. pink-purple, Apr to Aug. Of the seven varieties currently recognized in Queensland, only two have been recorded as occurring in SE Qld – H. floribunda var. floribunda is generally found in more inland areas northwards from the Darling Downs, and H. floribunda var. pubescens from the Brisbane region northwards Front Path Garden

Pycnostachys urticifolia. Tall, easy to grow shrub with spires of bright pure blue flowers followed by sharp spiky seed structure which can prick the fingers cruelly. Easy to propagate tolerates all conditions.  Dr Livingstone gathered seeds of this species in September 1859 and sent them to Messrs Backhouse & they produced flowers in January 1863. Dr Kirk and Dr Meller also sent seeds and dried specimens to Kew from the Manganja Hills (Malawi), altitude 3000 feet, in October 1861. Africa 15.Camden East Border gardens,Near Pool filter

Lepachinia salviae (pitcher sage) Medium to tall, lax shrub large arrow shaped grey leaves. Long pannicles of Mauve flowers in bells which do resemble Salvia. Certainly collected by Charles Darwin at Valparaiso in 1834 and named for a Russian botanist Ivan Lepichin Chile 15.Camden  South Rose Garden

Hemizygia transvaalensis syn.Syncolostemon (Pink Sage). Perennial from high veld. Easily grown from cutting This species was first collected near Barberton (then Transvaal, now Mpumalanga ) by Ernest Galpin (1858-1941) banker by profession, amateur botanist and plant collector, and was named in 1897 by Rudolf Schlechter (1872-1925), German botanist and traveller. I have found this surprisingly difficult and slow to get going, much prefers moist and semi-shade. South Africa 15.Camden  Magnolia garden, Fenced Rose Garden

Justicia adhatoda, commonly known in English as Malabar nut, adulsa, adhatoda, vasa, or vasaka, A stiff, evergreen, much-branched perennial shrub with a strong, unpleasant odour, 1.2-6 m tall. Leaves opposite, elliptic-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, margins entire, apex acute, 5-30 cm long, hairy, light green above, dark beneath, leathery. Flowers large, white with red or yellow-barred throats, borne in compact, axillary, pedunculate spikes with large bracts. Fruits (capsules) clavate, longitudinally channelled, 1.9-2.2 cm long and 0.8 cm wide, pubescent. Seeds globula is a medicinal plant native to Asia, widely used in Siddha Medicine, Ayurvedic, homeopathy and Unani systems of medicine. The leaves of Adhatoda vasica contains phytochemicals such as alkaloids, tannins, saponins, phenolics and flavonoids The most important is vasicine, a quinazoline alkaloid.                                                              Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and China,     Central Shrub garden, NE Corner

Justicia brandegeana syn. Bellerephone guttata (shrimp plant) Low growing lax shrub. We have yellow and bronze flower colour varieties. Remarkably tolerant of dry shade.  There is a passing resemblence to Salvias if you squint hard.Central and South America 1.1875 (9 species Justicia) Central lawn Gardens and Border, Plough Inn, Front Path

Justicia aurea syn. Justicia umbrosa (Yellow Jacobinia, Brazilian Plume) Tall yellow flowering Justicia. Grows from stem cutting. Favours semishade. Throwing Justicias in as resembling Salvias is purely subjective as they compliment each other in a perennial shrub garden. South America  NW Corner, East Border Garden

Justicia carnea (both white and pink hybrids) Interesting tall “candles” of flower bracts on tough shrub. This low maintenance, self seeding plant introduces colour under trees in a warm climate garden. First botanically described by John Lindley in 1831. ‘A native of Rio Janeiro, whence a living plant was sent, in 1827, to the Horticultural Society, by the Right Honourable Robert Gordon.(from www.hortuscamdenensis) Central and South America.     1.1875 (J.carnea, J.alba), 1A.1885 (Jacobinia magnifica), 7.1897, 9.1851, 10.1855, 15.Camden Orchid Walk, Front Path Garden

Justicia betonica (White) This tough, self seeding tall plant has white flowers, with a touch of pink, not unlike Salvia but more upright. I love this invasive Justicia but I think Kyleigh finds its vigour annoying. Tropical East Africa 1.1875, 7.1897 Front Path garden, gatehouse

Justicia rizzinii syn Libonia floribunda, Jacobinia pauciflora.  Lovely compact shrub with evergreen small ovate leaves and small tubular flowers of yellow/red. Brazil Central Lawn and Borders

Leonotis leonurus   Lax perennial which needs support . White flowers resembling Justicia or Plectranthus. South Africa  1.1875, 1A.1885, 7.1897, 10.1855 Central Shrub Garden, North Rose garden

Ocimum gratissimum (perennial Basil). Strongly aromatic herbaceous plant with spikes of Salvia like mauve/white flowers. Our Basil species strikes easily from cutting and is quite a reliable perennial. Aromatic like sweet Basil Ocimum basilicum but much more camphorated. Central lawn and Borders, Fenced Rose garden, South Rose Garden

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian sage) is now just a salvia.  Salvia yangii, in fact.  There’s also a sniff of snobbery when a hard name, which you’ve remembered, and mastered, is replaced by an easy one, which anyone can manage.  I’m willing to confess to a bit of that. Russian Sage is a subshrub, rather than an herbaceous perennial, meaning that it has a woody base, but herbaceous top growth, so follows the pattern of perennials sufficiently to find its place amongst them.  The only difference in treatment is that, instead of cutting its stems right to the ground, you retain a woody skeleton of 15-20cm in height.  So far I’ve only found it to sucker around gently, though one or two gardeners have reported to me that it’s threatened a take-over bid.  Way more gardeners have lamented that they’ve never been able to make it happy.  Given its incredible contribution, I’d always recommend giving it a go.  Or another go.  Or another.But the plant itself hasn’t changed. And what a great plant it is.  While at its climax in late summer and autumn, it’s a buoyant haze of lavender-blue above lovely grey foliage. How to grow Remove old growth in late winter – spring when new stems emerge. Prune back by half after flowering in summer to encourage a second flush of flowers in autumn. Divide plants every 4 years for maximum productivity. near back stairs

Phlomis fruticosa – Jerusalem Sage  This is an evergreen perennial with silver foliage. An excellent plant for those dry, sunny areas. The tubular flowers in golden yellow are produced in clusters, around the stem, from top to bottom. Turkey Driveway Garden LOST

Phlomis russeliana The large felt-like, heart shaped evergreen leaves, green above grey beneath, make a dense weed proof mound. The strong stiff 100cm stems are encircled with whorls of soft yellow hooded flowers. Driveway garden LOST

Plectranthus amboinensis (Cuban Oregano) Low growing glaucous spreading ground cover plant with grey-green foliage and blue flowers spikes. Favours sunny well drained position. South and east Africa.Front Road Embankment

Plectranthus ecklonii was first collected in 1813 by William Burchell, however Bentham described the species in 1848 based on a specimen collected by Ecklon and was unaware of the earlier collection. Plectranthus ecklonii has a wide distribution from Somerset east in the Eastern Cape to Barberton in Mpumalanga. It is confined to moist coastal subtropical and Afrotemperate Forest and forest margins. It is common in the under-storey at forest margins or on wooded stream banks. This species is named after Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1795 – 1868), Danish pharmacist, plant collector and traveller in South Africa. John Medley Wood introduced it to the Durban Botanical Gardens towards the end of the nineteenth century. It is thought that Ecklon sent seed of it to Baron Von Ludwig in Cape Town. It was the first plectranthus to be introduced to Kirstenbosch and has been growing there since 1914, shortly after the Garden was established. Tall shrub resembling a tall salvia which produces pannicles of blue, pink or white flowers in summer. Easy to propagate and care for. South Africa   Central Shrub Garden, Fenced Rose garden Eastern Borders

Plectranthus ecklonii var. ‘Hawthorne Pink’ Tall salvia like perennial, pink flowering garden cultivar. Easy to grow from cutting, tolerates dry shade. Eastern Borders,

Plectranthus graveolens Suberect, creeping shrub with spikes of bright blue flowers Eastern Australia Stone Circle Garden

Plectranthus oertendahlii (standard and variegated varieties) creeping groundcover with small white flowers, mainly in shady areas Brazil Near Back Stairs, Driveway and western gardens

Plectranthus saccatus. Striking blue flowers on a tough low softstemmed shrub. Reliable. Will self seed. Great colour in the shade South Africa Driveway and Western gardens, Rock Garden near back Stairs

Plectranthus saccatus x hilliardiae ‘cape Angels’  ‘Mona Lavender’,white and pink flowering. Reliable low shrub, shade tolerant, easily struck from cutting. Garden hybrid Rock garden Near back Stairs

Plectranthus barbutus tall shrubby species sometimes referred to as Plectranthus grandis, growing around 2m tall. It has thick, furry leaves with a pungent scent, and it sends up plump buds which open to beautiful, long, bright blue spires of flowers, Coleus barbatus was first described by Henry Cranke Andrews in 1810 as Plectranthus barbatus. It was transferred to Coleus by Bentham in 1830 . Although Coleus was previously sunk into Plectranthus, the original binomial was revived in a major study of the subtribe Plectranthinae in 2019  South America Front path garden, Central shrub garden

Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Blue Stachytarpheta) Criss Cross Garden1A.1885. Central Lawn

Stachytarpheta mutabilis (Pink, variable flowers) Fenced Rose garden1A 1885