Ah, Salvia!

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Did the hard freeze damage your plants? Were you surprised by the seemingly random path of destruction? Or, were you a diligent gardener who took the time to cover your cherished plants and was rewarded by healthy specimens ready to carry on to 2014? I admit to being lazy, wimpy, busy, and hopeful, actually, that my plant selections were sufficiently hardy to brave our very cold first week of December.

Determined to allow natural selection to take its course, my only real attempts at plant protection were to move the pots on the south-facing patio as close to the house as possible. One night I brought several pots in to the house and was rewarded by a hibiscus bloom the next morning. Unfortunately, that was its last bloom, I am sure, as I foolishly moved it back outside and it is now a sprawling brown mass of dead foliage. My one bright spot of December flower gardening has been my Salvia spathacea 'Las Pilitas', a low-growing pitcher sage with magenta blossoms. I am seeing these blossoms for the first time this week! First planted in May on a bank with other sages, this poor thing did nothing until it was moved to a pot and began to grow steadily from its four inch height to its present two-foot height. The identification tag it came with from the nursery said it required part shade and low water. Turns out if in fact much happier with regular water and rich potting spoil.

Sunset Western Garden Book claims this Salvia is hardy to 20 degrees, and I am happy to report it must be correct. Thank you, odd 2013 weather weather for bringing us this Christmas Blossom.

S. spathacea 'Las Pilitas'. (photo courtesy of Laspilitas.com)