Top ten list of garden plants

  • Abutilons of all kinds
  • Buddlejas old and new
  • Epiphytic orchids and ferns
  • Gordonia species
  • Heliotrope, Lemon verbena, Fennel and herbs
  • Michelias of all sorts
  • Perennial Salvias large and small
  • Species Camellias
  • Tea and China Roses
  • Weigela of all types

Montville Rose

Monday, May 26, 2014

Salvias at "The Shambles" recognised on a National Plant Collections Register


Perennial Salvias are remarkably vigorous and versatile.
Our growing collection of ornamental Salvias has been entered in the National Plant Collections Register of Garden Plant Conservation Association of Australia.
We hope that this registration will assist in some small way for future visitors and follow garden enthusiasts to recognise the importance of maintaining the diversity of species in gardens.We hope it also inspires gardeners to maintain inventories of the plants in their gardens to assist in garden plant conservation. 

"The Shambles" Collection of PERENNIAL SALVIAS 2014
Salvia amarissima bitter Mexican Sage. Blue flowering, in South rose garden Mexico South Rose garden

Salvia azuria  (Prairie sage) Hardy perennial sage with sky blue flowers nd a lax habit. Southern United States. 1.1875, 1A 1885 South Rose Garden

Salvia coccinea (red), Salvia coccinea (white), Salvia coccinea bicolor  (salmon pink and white), Low growing self seeding hardy short lived perennial. USA 1.1875, 1A.1885, 7.1897, 10.1855, 13.1900/1 East Border Gardens, South Rose garden, Fenced Rose garden, Central Shrub garden

Salvia confertifolia Tall salvia with corrugated leaves and quite long spikes of small orange flowers with an orange brown calyx. Brazil. NE corner of verandah.

Salvia curviflora bright pink, majenta flowers summer/autumn, South rose garden Mexico Fenced Rose garden, Rock garden

Salvia discolor   Black/green flowers on a lax low growing shrub with sticky grey foliage. Peru  2012 South Rose garden

Salvia elegans syn.S.rutilans. (Pineapple Sage) The Pineapple scented foliage is quite attractive . Small red flowers are bee attracting. North of house, near cloths line and rock circle garden. There is a close variant of this Salvia with more camphorated scent under the cloths line. Mexico North Rose garden, Back Verandah, Fenced Rose garden

Salvia rutilans syn. S.elegans Golden foliage Pineapple sage South Rose garden

Salvia farinacea x Salvia longispicata " Indigo Spires" Vigous but low growing hybrid with indigo blue flowers Gate House

Salvia gesneriiflora Tall rangy shrub with Red/Black flowers in loose spikes. Tolerates sun and part shade. Easily sruck from cutting Colombia NW boundary garden. Central lawn and Borders

Salvia guaranitica Tall spreading clump forming shrub with clear Mid-Blue flower spikes in summer. Tolerates shade. Brazil  North verandah and central gardens. Back Verandah, Central Shrub garden
Salvia guaranitica x gesneriifolia  “Purple Majesty”. A tall plant with the classic square stems and large serated leaves. Flower spikes are Royal Purple throughout the year but mostly in the warmer months. Criss Cross garden, Near Coral Fountain

Salvia involucrata. Tall spreading lax shrub with round stems. Large Pink flowers which are quite closed. Easily grown from cutting tolerates sun and shade. Autumn-winter flowering. Mexico 12.1962. Widespread, including Driveway, Front embankment,

Salvia involucrata. Var “Bethellii” Tall free flowering shrub. Flowers better colour and form than Involucrata varieties. Autumn-Winter flowering.  Mexico, hybrid. Mainly north of the house. Central Shrub garden, South East Corner

Salvia involucrata Var "Bethellii" pale pink flowering shrub. This plant was acquired 2014 as a gift. Flower colour is definitely lighter and brighter than above. Fenced Rose garden

Salvia involucrata "Joan" Tall shrub bright pink flowers. East Border gardens

Salvia involucrata " Mulberry Jam" Tall shrub Mauve flowers Plough Inn North

Salvia involucrata cultivar “Pink Icicles”. Tall lax shrub with large flowers of soft pink and white. Easily struck from cutting, hardy indry shade and on an exposed embankment. NE boundary garden NE Border gaden

Salvia involucrata "Romantic Rose" a Bright pink flowering variety. Planted gatehouse

Salvia involucrata x karwinskii  "Follets Folly" Red flowering tall perennial shrub. East Border garden, Plough Inn North

Salvia iodantha Very tall, spectacular shrub with clusters of magenta flowers at end of long arching stems. Easily propagated from cutting. Spring-Summer flowering. Mexico. West of pool fence and the fenced rose garden

Salvia iodantha x longistylus Tall Salvia with flowers similar in luster to S.Iodantha but more mauve to pink in colour and less tightly packed then the S.Iodantha Criss Cross garden


Salvia leucantha Medium sized perennial shrub with reliable mauve calyx and white flower spikes. Semideciduous. Mexico 12.1962. Central Lawn and borders.

Salvia leucantha 'Midnight" purple flower and calyx . Semideciduous Front path garden, Fenced Rose garden

Salvia leucantha cv "Velour Pink" Robust Salvia Pink and white flowers. North Rose garden

Salvia leucantha hybrid “Velour White” White flowers, white calyx on this variety with white flowers. NW corner pool fence

Salvia macrophylla Larger heart shaped, stick, aromatic leaves with spikes of sky-blue flowers in summer. Columbia , Peru, Bolivia. Central lawn and Borders

Salvia macrophylla "Purple leaf" Like green leaved S. macrophylla Cobalt blue flowers Peru  North lawn garden

Salvia madrense.  Very tall salvia with large leaves and square stems. The flowers are on long spikes of bright Yellow. Very tough and easy to care for but large dominating plant.Mexico Gardens east side of the house. East Border garden, Central lawn and Borders

Salvia "Meigans Magic" grey tone in foliage. White flower in purple calyx. A very successful Salvia in our climate. Front path garden

Salvia mexicana (?var. “Lollie Jackson”) Dark blue flowers, Black calyx on a tall shrub with the classic square stems. Reliable easily struck from cutting. Mexico. Gardens east and SE of house.

Salvia microphylla "Hot lips". Very hardy in our garden, tolerating dry and moist shade. Easily propagated from cutting. Distinctive crimson-red margin on flower. summer flowering. Fenced Rose garden, Rock wall garden

Salvia microphylla "Miss Scarlet" low growing but erect Salvia cultivar  red flowers. Near fenced rose garden

Salvia microphylla "Penny's Smile". Crimson pink flowers. fenced rose garden

Salvia microphylla "Easter Bonnet" Yellow to pink flowers.  South Rose garden

Salvia microphylla "Angel Wings" Soft Pink flowers. In rock wall garden at back stairs among Plectranthus cultivars.

Salvia microphylla  “Sweet Laura” Resembling S.coccinea this garden hybrid obtained from ‘Grandma’s Garden’ nursery in SE Queensland. Western end front rose garden.

Salvia microphylla ("Heat wave series" Salvias) but with glossy aromatic foliage. brittle stems . red flower , black calyx. East of fenced rose garden.

Salvia miniata  (Belize Sage) Tall, apple green glossy foliage, bright red flowers. Easily grows from cutting, hardy in shade including dry shade. Flowers throughout the year.  Mexico. Central lawn and borders, NE corner garden

Salvia officinalis low growing culinary and medicinal sage Europe to central Asia 1.1875 Only survives in containers for us

Salvia pallida Pale Sage. Tall, Oval leaves scalloped edges, pale blue flowers Argentina Fenced Rose garden, North Rose garden

Salvia x "Phyllis Fancy" White and mauve flowers and purple calyx. Near side stairs in quite a shaded position. East Border garden

Salvia pseudo nutans shrubby salvia of moderate vigour with pale blue flowers reminiscent of Salvia pallida Fenced Rose garden

Salvia oxyphora (Bolivian Hummingbird Sage), Tall vigourous shrub, Tubular crimson pink flowers with fine hairs Bolivia Peru Central Shrub Garden

Salvia splendens, unnamed tall varieties of this perennial Salvia in our garden include a cultivar with mauve and white flowers, one with White flowers and Red flowering with variegated foliage, as well as one with White/Red. Many shrubs persist and can flower throughout the year in sun or shade. Brazil 1.1875, 1A.1885, 7.1897, 10.1855, 12.1962, 13.1900/1.Tall Reliable Salvia in most areas of the Garden

Salvia splendens "Van Houttei" A tall cultivar of Salvia splendens with red-maroon flowers . Tall and vigorous, strikes easily from cutting.  Throughout Central shrub garden, East Border garden

Salvia “Waverley” Medium sized reliable low maintenance plant. Flowers are white, pale pink to mauve calyx throughout. Spring and Summer. Vigorous, strikes easily from cutting. Near gatehouse and eastern boundary garden

Salvia uliginosa (Bog Sage). Sky blue flowers . Moderate height and invasive locally. Easily propagated. Spring-Summer flowering. East of gatehouse, front garden

Salvia wagneriana Tall, winter flowering salvia wit flowers of pink and white Central America. Just near gatehouse and driveway.

For interest we add a list of some of the RELIABLE PERENNIALS which we grow mixed in with Salvias and which resemble Salvias and enhance their display

Aloysia triphylla,( Lemon scented Verbena) has delightful scented foliage and a  loose Salvia like form. These are slow to get going in our acidic soil. Chile- Argentina 1A.1885 (Lippia citriodora?), 6.1897, 7.1897, 9.1851, 10.1855, 13.1900/1 Near back Stairs

Brillantasia subulugurica. Large leafed, lax shrub with quite large mauve/Blue flowers reminiscent of a large Salvia. East Africa Blue trellis garden, East Border garden

Dicliptera suberecta Low growing,  perennial grey foliage and orange flowers . Uruguay Stone circle garden

Hypoestes aristata. Reliable easy growing and quite tall plant with unusual twisting Mauve/Pink salvia like flowers appearing once a year in spring. Easy to strike from cutting, low maintenance. South Africa 1.1875 East Border gardens

Justicia aurea syn Justicia umbrosa Yellow or golden justicia . Tall Spectacular yellow flower plumes Brazil Fenced Rose garden

Justicia brandegeana syn. Bellerephone guttata (shrimp plant) Low growing lax shrub. We have yellow and bronze flower colour varieties. Remarkably tolerant of dry shade.reliable.Central and south America 1.1875 (9 species Justicia) North Rose garden, Central lawn and Borders, Front path garden

Justicia carnea (both white and pink hybrids) Interesting tall “candles” of flower bracts on tough shrub. This low maintenance, self seeding plant introduces colour under trees in a warm climate garden. Central and South America 1.1875 (J.carnea, J.alba), 1A.1885 (Jacobinia magnifica), 7.1897, 9.1851, 10.1855 Orchid Walk, plough inn

Justicia betonica (White) This tough, self seeding tall plant has white flowers, with a touch of pink, not unlike Salvia but more upright. Tropical East Africa 1.1875, 7.1897 Front path garden, Gatehouse

Justicia nodosa syn Dianthera nodosa Weeping Shrub, profuse pink flowering NE Border gardens, Central Shrub garden
Justicia rizzinii syn Libonia floribunda, Jacobinia pauciflora Lovely compact shrub in garden, evergreen with small tubular flowers of yellow/red. Brazil Central lawn and Borders



Lepachinia salviae Medium to tall, lax shrub large arrow shaped grey leaves. Long pannicles of Mauve flowers in bells which do resemble Salvia. Chile Near Back Stairs

Ocimum gratissimum (perennial Basil). Strongly aromatic herbaceous plant with spikes of Salvia like mauve/white flowers. Strikes easily from cutting. Aromatic like sweet Basil Ocimum basilicum but more camphorated.Fenced Rose garden, in pots and throughout

Plectranthus ecklonii.  Tall, Salvia like shrub which produces pannicles of blue, pink or white Salvia like flowers in summer. Easy to propagate and care for. South Africa East Border gardens, fenced rose garden

Plectranthus ecklonii var. ‘Hawthorne Pink’ Tall salvia like perennial, pink flowering garden hybrid . Easy to grow from cutting, tolerates dry shade. East Border gardens , central Shrub gardens

Plectranthus oertendahlii (standard and variegated varieties) creeping groundcover with small white flowers, mainly in shady areas Brazil Plough inn, Rainforest corner, Near Back Stairs, Central Shrub garden

Plectranthus saccatus . Striking blue flowers on a tough low shrub. Reliable. Will self seed. Great colour in the shade South Africa Blue trellis garden, Raised rock garden

Plectranthus saccatus x hilliardiae ‘cape Angels’  ‘Mona Lavender’, white and pink flowering. Reliable low shrub, shade tolerant, easily struck from cutting. Garden hybrid Raised Rock garden

Plectranthus amboinensis (Cuban Oregano) Low growing glaucous spreading ground cover plant with grey-green foliage and blue flowers spikes. Favours sunny well drained position. South and east Africa.
Front embankment

Pycnostachys urticifolia.  Tall easy to grow shrub with spires of bright Sky Blue flowers followed by sharp spiky seed structure. Easy to propagate tolerates all conditions. Southern Africa Blue trellis and Criss Cross garden

Stachytarpheta cayenennsis (Porter weed, False verbena, Snakeweed) Perennial shrub with long spike with flowers appearing to migrate along them from the bottom up. Mexico, Central America Central lawn and Bordrs , Criss cross garden


Stachytarpheta mutabilis (pink porterweed) Pernnial shrub as for S. cayenennsis but with pink flowers Brazil Fenced Rose garden

Kyleigh and Michael Simpson

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