Salvias to the fore
Expert grower William Dyson displayed a wide range of shrubby salvia varieties, many seen for the first time. William, who is also curator at Great Comp garden in Kent, has become a national authority on the aromatic plants and is actively breeding and selecting new varieties. He has more than 250 species and varieties at his nursery. “The Salvia jamensis types make excellent summer bedding plants,” said William. “Groups of small plantlets growing in well-drained soil in sun will soon produce mounds of colourful flowers until the first frosts, if old flower heads are clipped off. Most survive an average winter outdoors, but take cuttings in late summer and grow on under glass as an insurance policy.”
William achieved a Silver Gilt medal, despite having to change 75 per cent of his plants as warm weather forced them into flower two weeks early. l Visit www.greatcomp garden. co.uk, tel: 01732 885094.