Super salvia ‘Amistad’
On a recent visit to London, staying with my daughter and her family, as I hurtled along with my suitcase I was stopped short by one front garden where a few simple plants were making a riotous show. There were several plants of a fairly shortgrowing miscanthus, waving its bronzy heads above a sea of Cobaea scandens, the cup-and-saucer vine, replete with big bell flowers from purple to pale green. The cobaea itself was scrambling through an anonymous shrub and a huge plant of salvia ‘Amistad’ in full flower. This salvia is often at its best in the latter part of summer and into autumn, by when it has reached its mature stature – taller than me! Its tubular, lipped flowers are of richest purple, each one held in an inky bract, giving the whole plant a dark and dramatic quality. Although the roots of this salvia will often come through winter unscathed, especially if it’s planted in a sheltered spot, it can be lifted, potted and kept frost-free until the following spring. As an extra insurance policy, a few non-flowering shoots can be removed to make cuttings. Cutting below a leaf node, removing the lower leaves, nipping out the top and inserting around the edge of a pot (clay if possible) in gritty compost works well. A warm, bright place, a thorough watering and occasional misting should guarantee success.