The species of Salvia most used as summer bedding are Salvia Coccinea “Lady in red”, Salvia Farinacea “Victoria”, Salvia Fulgens, Salvia Pratensis Haematodes Group, Salvia Splendens “Scarlet King” and Salvia Splendens Sizzler Series.
Salvia Coccinea “Lady in red” is an annual bushy plant that bears slender spikes of small but showy red flowers all summer long.
Salvia Farinacea “Victoria” is also an annual plant. The small, deep blue flowers are crowded on spikes held well above the leaves. Read the rest of this entry »
Salvia can be used in cool color schemes (Salvia Cacaliifolia and Salvia Guaranitica “Blue Enigma”) and also in hot color schemes (Salvia Coccinea “Pseudococcinea”).
Salvia Cacaliifolia. Usually grown as an annual in cool climates, this upright and hairy, herbaceous perennial, bears spikes of deep blue flowers in early summer, held above mid-green foliage. It’s a distinctive sage with a brilliant flower colour, for bedding, summer infilling, or containers. Read the rest of this entry »
Speaking about color, there is Salvia with silver foliage as Salvia Argentea an Salvia Discolor.
Salvia Argentea is a short-lived perennial that forms large clumps of soft, felty-grey leaves around the base of the plant. Spikes of hooded, two-lipped, white or pinkish-white flowers are borne in mid and late summer, on strong, upright stems. Suits a Mediterranean style border, but will need shelter in areas with cold winters.
Argentea Sage grows in light, very well-drained soil, in a warm, sunny site. Use a cloche or glass panel to protect from excessive winter wet and cold winds. Read the rest of this entry »
Salvia or Sage is the largest genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, including approximately 900 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials and annuals. The most known species is Salvia officinalis used as culinary herb.
Salvia officinalis “Icterina” is a very attractive, yellow and green variegated form of sage that has a mound-forming, subshrubby habit. The aromatic, evergreen, velvety leaves can be used in cooking. Less significant spikes of small, lilac-blue flowers appear in early summer. Ideal for a herb or kitchen garden. “Key Gold” is a very similar plant, although its leaves are often completely yellow.
This Sage officinalis grow in moist but well-drained, fairly fertile, humus-rich soil. Place it in full sun or partial shade. Read the rest of this entry »
I love Begonia. It’s a highly appreciated houseplant here in Romania, but I’ve heard that Begonia is one of America’s favorite flower. Although it’s not an easy to care houseplant, as well as Kalanchoe for example, Begonia is a flowering plant to grow and especially to love for its ornamental quality, for Begonia’s beautiful flowers, special foliage. I personal think that it’s a real challenge to grow and then enjoy Begonia.
It may be difficult to choose what Begonia species to grow: flowering Begonia or foliage Begonia. We can find Begonia in park flower rounds, on terraces and potted indoor. From among the three types of Begonias (Tuberous Begonia, Semperflorens Begonia, Perennials Begonia), the most common and popular is Semperflorens. Begonia’s flowers are white, red, pink, orange, yellow or multicolor. So it’s your decision how to incorporate Begonia into your house in accordance with your color preferences and indoor atmosphere. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by admin | Posted in Christmas Time | Posted on 17-01-2010
Washington has several official Christmas trees, which are often misidentified by the media. A guide to which tree is which.
Important things in Washington often come in threes. There are political institutions: Congress, White House, and Supreme Court. There are sports teams: baseball Nationals, basketball Wizards, and hockey Capitals. (The football Redskins are so bad this year Decoder is counting them out.)
And there are Christmas trees. Three nice ones, which every year jostle their branches and flick their globes at each other in a competition to be Washington’s most glamorous.
Most Americans may vaguely think there is something called the National Christmas Tree, cut down somewhere snowy every year by a guy with a dog and a sled and trucked to the White House, where it is presented to the first lady, who invites the guy and his dog in for cookies and punch.
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Posted by admin | Posted in Christmas Time | Posted on 17-01-2010
Officials who planned the Climate Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, determined that Christmas is, almost by definition, a religious holiday. And Christmas trees, which Denmark grows and exports by the millions, are religious symbols.
So they ruled that fir trees in the vicinity of the summit meetings must go undecorated.
The Danes are by no means alone in this viewpoint. An entire Florida county and several U.S. schools have banned decorated trees from public spaces. The architect of the United States Capitol instructed children in Arizona who were making ornaments for this year’s Christmas tree in the nation’s capitol, that none could have a religious theme. That office later relented, and the tree now includes one that wishes happy birthday to the child who Christians believe was the son of God.
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