Adenophora came into Australia sometime last century as seed called S.pulchella but I think it is always given its correct name nowadays. It comes from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Adenophora has bright scarlet flowers mainly in autumn and winter … Continue reading →

  This salvia is perhaps more correctly called just plain Africana these days but I got to know it with the caerulea and I think it is more descriptive. (I don’t always believe these name changers get it right.) This … Continue reading →

Another South African, this shrubby salvia has been around Australia for 20-30 years. It is a hardy evergreen for drought or whatever you wish to give it. It seemed to originally be called Africana aurea and some people are going … Continue reading →

‘Amistad’ was a new release in Australia in 2013. ’Amistad’  grows to two metres high and wide and has a lot of flowers that are deep purple.  They are on one side of the spike only. It is similar to ‘Purple Majesty’ but the foliage is denser and … Continue reading →

‘Angel Wings’  is an Australian hybrid looking mostly like a microphylla.  It is a particularly good performer with masses of two tone pink flowers from spring to winter. Height and width is approximately 80cm.    Probably sun is best.  Frost and drought hardy. … Continue reading →

A  neat evergreen grey leaved hybrid, autumn/winter flowering, indigo blue, 1-2m This is a variety originating around Carolina in the U.S. and named after a small relative. It appears to be a hybrid between S. leucantha and elegans.    It is an … Continue reading →

In Australia we have been a bit muddled as to what is aurita and it seems to be a small plant with pale blue flowers which I had once or twice. Aurita galpini is a fairly vigorous evergreen ground cover … Continue reading →

Azurea is an American sage fairly well known in Australia. It is a very pretty heavenly mid blue with canes about 1.5m high. However it does not have its flowers until late summer and by then it is usually flopping. … Continue reading →