Salvia Wishes
A Gardener's Wish
The story begins with a chance discovery of a new species in the garden of Australian salvia enthusiast Wendy Smith. Friends encouraged Wendy to cultivate the chance seedling and Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’ came into being.
Wendy named her new plant in honour of her favourite charity - ‘Make-A-Wish’, an organisation that grants wishes to young people with life-threatening medical conditions to bring hope, strength and joy at a very challenging time in their lives. Proceeds from her royalties are donated to this very worthy cause.
The hardy and incredibly long-flowering ‘Wendy’s Wish’ was later followed by two more salvias with new and unique colour breaks and also connected to the ‘Make a Wish’ cause. ‘Ember’s Wish’ is named after two Make a Wish children, Emma and Brett.
The ‘Wish Series’ salvias are special for their prolific flowering, lasting nearly year-round in northern New Zealand. The plants are drought tolerant and easily adapt to a range of soil types, quickly establishing a delicate cloud of dainty arching flower stems.
Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’ is an unusual tubular magenta flower with copper bracts, ideal as a mid-border filler, reaching 80cm in height and width. Salvia ‘Ember’s Wish’ is warm and vibrant with coral to pink tones, while ‘Love and Wishes’ is deep mauve purple with dark stems and bracts. The three salvias work together well and provide a mass colour effect in the garden with their striking complementary hues.
Maintenance of the ‘Wish Series’ salvias is simple and no fuss. A quick trim once a year and a feed to encourage flowering in spring is all they need to ensure fabulous flowers all season long.
Put these new salvias on your wish list for the garden this summer.
Feature article from Living Fashion. For further information and more inspirational planting ideas, visit www.livingfashion.co.nz
30-Sep-2014
Salvia 'Love and Wishes'
Salvia 'Wendy's Wish'
Salvia ' Ember's Wish'
Salvias 'Wendy's Wish' and "Ember's Wish' do well in containers and garden beds
In the Garden
