The Norman Transcript
May 09, 2008 12:23 am
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Everything looks so green and fresh since the rains last night -- today is Tuesday -- the skies are overcast with no wind, good weather to transplant tomato, pepper, eggplant, lettuce, kale, Swiss chard and other container plants to the garden as well as pull weeds and trash trees. The silver maple wind powered helicopter-like seed twirled down all over the garden, yard and street, cherry laurel, hackberry and mulberry were "gifts" from the birds.
Other nuisance trees like elms, hedge plants, a variety and oaks -- planted by squirrels -- and others that I can't name have persistently appeared year after year. You know, if this fair plot of ground that I carefully tend were left without human interference for 10 years, flowers, herbs and vegetables would be replaced by a jumble of trees each competing for its place in the sun. Since I don't intend to let the forest claim my garden anytime soon, let us think of something pleasant such as what plant might please Mothers to honor her special day. Local greenhouses and plant outlets have so many wonderful hanging baskets and plants for the garden and landscape. Today, I'll concentrate on one of my favorite families, perennial Salvias. It used to be that any salvia was called sage.
Sage is in the Salvia family but we still use sage for the culinary herb. Remember the movie and song, "Riders of the Purple Sage?" Riders of the Purple Salvia wouldn't have sounded nearly as romantic, would it?
Some of my favorite Salvias are the S. greggii series: the cultivars Maraschina Cherry and Raspberry Royal. The series comes in many other colors that range from white, to bicolor orange and yellows to deep red and pastel peaches. Their growth habit is neat, rounded and just over 2-feet tall, they flower early and frequently until frost. Salvias also attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Other favorites are S. leucantha (Mexican Bush Sage) a vivid orchid and cream flute-like flower, mature plant about 4-ft.-tall, if a huskier bush with more flowers is desired the tops may be trimmed back a few inches and S. elegans (pineapple sage, a tender perennial). Flowers of pineapple sage are bright-red, height and width over 3-ft.-tall plant, the leaves give off a lovely pineapple aroma when touched. Aother perennial Salvia cultivar that I've just begun to grow is cultivar May Night which sends up flower-covered wands of a heavenly dark blue that seems to glow. I will purchase more to go with this terrific Salvia.
Above I wrote about the tender perennial which means that it won't always make it through the winter. In order not to have to repurchase pineapple sage, each October, I break off several 10-inch branches, trim off the leaves except for a couple at the top, push the stems down in moist potting soil wrap plastic loosely over the plant then set in a cool shady spot until there are signs of new growth.
Next, I place the pot in dappled shade outside until frost threatens and place in a sunny window until spring. This fast-growing plant may need repotting before spring. After the danger of frost passes, hardened-off then transplant outdoors. Local greenhouses, nurseries and other plant outlets such as the Farm Market will display a variety of gorgeous hanging baskets and containers tomorrow anticipating Mother's Day. I took some pictures recently of some plants that caught my eye while visiting a local wholesale greenhouse, Prairie Wind Nursery. They sell retail at a few outlets and fairs, one being the Farm Market on Saturdays.
The photo that accompanies this column this column shows several bougainvilleas and a dwarf crimson-flowered Mandevilla, cultivar Sun Parasal and in the background Esperanza cultivar Yellow Bells and Orange Jubilee.
I'm finishing the column on Wednesday and the rain came down in waves usually a few minutes to 15 minutes apart all day long.
Upcoming events
Bird Migration Day at Lake Thunderbird State Park's brand new Nature Center tomorrow. There will be a bird walk led by Warren Harden 9 a.m.; "Interesting Things about Birds," Warren Harden, 10:15 a.m. ages 7 to adult; "Birds of Central Oklahoma," Matthew Vandenbroeke ages 7-adult; Tour Nature Center with naturalist. Bring a picnic lunch 12:00 p.m.; Birds for Kids ages 2-6. For details and other information, call 321-4633 or e-mail crowssecret@ sbcglobal.net.
The 14th annual Central Oklahoma Herb Fest will be at Crestview Farms, Edmond at the intersection of Douglas and Sorghum Mill Road, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., admission free. Vendors will sell: large variety of plants, nuts, handmade soaps, garden ornaments, beauty products, jewelry, essential and fragrance oils, herbs, spices, food products, etc. For more details call Rita Holder, 390-2233.
The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History offers an intro to family gardening 10 a.m. to noon May 17. This is a hands-on program to get families started building a container garden together. Registration is open now for "Family Day Out: Green Family Gardening." Kids and adults will work together to create a container herb garden and learn more about organic gardening. Each family will go home with their own container garden. Cost for the program is $8 per person for museum members, $10 per person for non-members. Call 325-0598 for details.
Betty Culpepper may be contacted at bculpepper3@ cox.net for comments, questions or ideas for future columns.
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