Salvias a great drought tolerant addition to any garden

• Salvias have often been called “the perfect garden plant.”
• Salvias are best planted in the late fall or spring.
• Most salvias are drought tolerant and actually rebel at excessive summer irrigation.

Little did I realize that when I agreed to a garage expansion for my husband’s Ford Mustang restoration project, I was also in for a garden restoration project.

After the water-loving camellias, azaleas and ferns were bulldozed from the north side of the old garage, I recognized the opportunity to establish a truly drought-tolerant garden. Now, where to start?

I checked the Master Gardener and city of Visalia websites for landscaping ideas and plants and the plant salvia came up over and over. So I decided that’s what I’ll consider first.

The name salvia is derived from the Latin word salver “to heal” and salvias have been used for herbal and medicinal qualities since ancient times. The genus salvia offers gardeners one of the largest and most versatile groups of plants available. Since the 1970s, the genus has produced some of the most popular garden ornamentals.

Salvias can be used as ground covers, bedding plants, herbaceous perennials and shrubs. A relative of the familiar kitchen sage, many types of salvia produce spikes of small, densely packed flowers atop aromatic foliage. These heat- and drought-tolerant beauties bloom from early to late summer in shades of blue, violet, red, pink and white. Plants grow 18 inches to 5 feet tall, depending on the variety.

The genus offers a wide range of forms, textured foliage and vibrantly colored flowers that combine well with most other plants in the landscape. Many species attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees, but fortunately, not deer and rabbits. It is the pungent odor of their leaves that we find so inviting that acts as a repellent to garden pests.

They are adaptable to almost any garden condition, from full sun to partial sun and there are a few that will tolerate full shade. Salvias have often been called “the perfect garden plant.”

Getting started

The challenge is to choose the best varieties that are at-home in our climate.

Nineteen species trace their origins to California and many water-wise area gardeners now want to return these native plants to their landscapes. Most salvias are drought tolerant, once established, and actually rebel at excessive summer irrigation.

Salvias are best planted in the late fall or spring, spacing plants one to three feet apart, depending on the variety and the ultimate size of the plant. Select a site according to light needs and well-drained soil.

Loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot the plant is in. Carefully remove the plant from its container, loosen the root ball and place it in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Carefully fill in around the root ball and firm the soil gently. Water thoroughly. Apply a thin layer of compost each spring, followed by a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture and control weeds. Water the plants frequently until established and occasionally during our hot summers.

While salvias aren’t high-maintenance plants, they can suffer occasional bouts with fungal diseases and infestations of aphids or thrips. Some species also fall prey to slugs and snails. Treat as you would other plants with these problems.

Now that I have done my research, you can be sure my new garden will include a number of salvias to cover the scar created by the Mustang restoration project.