Two May Night Salvias Planted IB2DWS - November 2023

What's something that is pretty common in gardens around here that I've lacked?  Salvia.  I've picked-up-and-put-down dozens of Salvias over the years.  Why?  Because I wasn't sure.  Wasn't sure about anything Salvia-related.  Size?  Will they flop?  Are they too tall?  And more questions like that.

But, when I found a couple of containers of May Night Salvia at the end-of-season sale at the orange store, I whipped out my phone. What did I find? From Monrovia:

Tall spikes of indigo blue flowers top compact mounds of soft, green foliage. This showy perennial is excellent for mixed borders, flower beds and patio containers.

From Walters Garden:

This award winning salvia is a top performer in the landscape. Dense spikes of deep violet-purple flowers are produced in early summer and will continue longer if deadheaded.

Bluestone Perennials says:

1997 PPA Plant of the YearOne of our favorite Salvia. Spikes of the deepest blue begin in late May and continue through the summer. Up to 2' tall in bloom. It is a sight to see! Butterflies adore Salvia. Also goes by S. Mainacht.

Eek.  I'm so afraid of flowers, that I was still on the fence until I saw that Bluestone listing.  I brought home a pair of plants that had somehow made it to the end of the season at that place.  I figured...if they can survive with that much neglect, these are tough plants. 

I tucked them in the new conifer garden - IB2DWs extended.  Here's hoping for blooms in 2024:

I'm posting this in November 2023, but I did this dividing and transplanting in mid-October 2023.

My 2023 Fall Planting List - so far - includes a number of new and divided plants.  

Now up to 65 new plants.  And 10 new via division.  75 total for 2023 #FallPlanting.  30 of them are groundcover plants.  Eight sedums.

• Five divided Everillo Sedges - Carex Everillo - from one sedge with Center rot in the backyard.
• A Sempervivum ‘Hopewell’ - a succulent-looking Chicks and Hens planted down by the sidewalk - IB2DWs. 
• Two Sedum spurium 'Voodoo' - IB2DWs - to attempt to outcompete the Creeping Jenny.
• Split three Elijah Blue Fescue clumps into six - IB2DWs along the driveway.
• A single Burgundy Glow Ajuga along the driveway IB2DWs.  Lots of groundcover IB2DWs, this Fall.
• Eight Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' planted - five in the island bed.  Three along south front porch bed border. 
• A Cardoon - IB2DWs - that I'm not sure is going to make it.  I'm going to mulch it in VERY heavily this Winter. 
• Two Silver Mound Artemisias planted IB2DWs - close to the current planted bed. 
• A dwarf, fern-like shrub:  Matcha Ball Ash Leaf Spirea planted in the front porch bed. 
• Three Pentsemon 'Midnight Masquerade' dark foliage perennials planted in the new/extended IB2DWs bed.  
• Two Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' plants, in the front yard by the Sweetspire. 
• Three Greenlee Moor Grasses - Sesleria Greenlee Hybrid in front of the Sweetspire shrubs in front.
• A dwarf conifer: Baby Blue Spruce - planted IB2DWs extended down by the sidewalk.
• Two John Creech Sedums - planted by the Little Henry Sweetspires.  Hoping to cover and outcompete the weeds that creep up in this border. 
• Three Ruby Muhlygrasses - Planted at the end of the boardwalk in back.
• A #1 Bird's Nest Spruce planted IB2DWs by the Nepeta Cat's Pajamas, near the driveway.
• A ball-and-burlap Weeping Norway Spruce in the middle of the established IB2DWs bed.
• A second Norway Weeping Spruce Tree - IB2DWs in the new 'Conifer Garden'.  
• A narrow, upright conifer tree - Montrose Charm White Spruce in the 'Conifer Garden' IB2DWs.
• The 2nd Baby Blue Spruce tree planted IB2DWs in the new 'Conifer Garden' closer to the Bald Cypress. 
• A 3rd Baby Blue Spruce tree planted in back by the Lindens - viewable from the Kitchen.
• I'm calling it a tree (not a shrub) - a Royal Purple Smoke Tree planted IB2Dws.
• A true dwarf - Golden Mop False Cypress - planted IB2DWs in the Conifer Garden.
• One of Two Blue Star Junipers - Planted in back stoop north bed with Spring Grove Ginkgo.
• The second Blue Star Juniper that is planted by the Disneyland Roses on the south side.
• The second (new) Bird's Nest Spruce planted in the new Conifer Garden IB2DWs.
• Three small Green Velvet Boxwoods planted in between the espalier'd Dogwoods along the garage.
• Three small Japanese 'Soft Touch' Holly shrubs planted back by the Weeping Nootka Cypress bed.
• Three new (five total) Allium Serendipity via Division - planted IB2DWs and in the new Conifer Garden
• Two new All Gold Hakonechloa Japanese Forest Grasses via division from IB2DWs to back border. 
• A 2nd Burgundy Glow Ajuga - planted by the screened porch door - via a Fairy Garden.
• Three Variegated Sedums. One in Front Porch Bed, two down by sidewalk IB2DWs. 
• Five new Autumn Ferns by 2nd Oak Tree as Hosta replacements.
• Two new plain Hostas via division and transplanting closer to the fence and back of property.
• Five more Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' - IB2DWs and in back by the new Baby Blue Spruce.
• A pair of compact - May Night Salvias - planted in the new conifer garden - IB2DWs extended.