I have really enjoyed the tour through your garden.

I, too, love the Salvia 'Black & Blue'. You say you overwinter this plant in a container, inside. Where inside?
So far, I haven't tried that, perhaps I could. Every year I have to scrounge around to find someplace that will have B & B for sale. Would an orchid greenhouse (small) be comparable?

The only place I can find locally is about 30-35 miles from me. Any guidance you can give me will be appreciated.

Kay

linnea,have you ever tried whacking it after it gets to 2' to see if you might get larger leaves on a shorter plant? just wondering because i have places in my gardens where that look would be helpful...
mindy

Kay, thank you, yes I overwintered the 'Black and Blue' in its pot inside the house,
it didn't look that good come spring, but bounced back and flowered after a month
back outside. It's still blooming.
If I had fed it, I didn't, just infrequent water, it may have bloomed sooner?
What a gorgeous Salvia!

Mindy, no, never tried that with B&B, I just cut it back a bit in the spring,
but I'm experimenting with some others.
Neither of my B&B are really over 2 feet, maybe in the ground? Are yours?

I think I will try B & B in the house this winter. Of course, I have a couple questions---conditions--light? near a window? which direction?

Yes, it is a gorgeous Salvia. I have to pay $8,00 for a 4 inch pot. I like it well enough to pay that but ifI can get it to winterover, that would be great.

Both of mine are just about 2 feet, including bloom spikes. They always keep blooming until hard frost.

Kay

linnea, in my post above,I wasn't referring to b and b. i was referring to castor bean when i asked about whacking it!
mindy

Kay, I honestly don't remember exactly where that one spent the winter
(there were many), but as far as I know, a fairly bright room but not in direct sun.
I'm sure you could do better, I had white flies and am no expert with indoor plants.
It may root from a cutting, too, why not try it, maybe someone else has an answer to that.

Just make sure, when you put it back outside, to give it a fairly shady, protected
corner for a couple of weeks, to acclimatize. The whitefly disappeared once outside.

Oops, Mindy! Yes, inadvertently I did, but not the way you meant.
My rabbits (*&!!*#!) BIT off a 'Gibson' seedling a friend gave me and left it on the ground.
I stuck it in a pot of moist soil and gave it up for lost.
The thing rooted, and was subsequently planted out. It made a small plant with smaller leaves.
The nub left in the ground was probably overwhelmed by a new Gibson seedling from my
sympathetic friend.
Cutting off a big, healthy plant (if I had the nerve), with a big root system,
I'd worry about water and rot in the hollow stems, but it might work, if mine self seed
I'll try it. I'm a little lost among the cultivars, so far Gibson and Carmencita are
my favorites. 'Impala' gets bigger and greener, but they were ebay loot, so who knows
what they really are.

I overwintered my b&b salvia in the garage. Just put it in a pot, let it go dormant, watered it every 6 weeks, took outside in the spring. No light, just above freezing. Looked great.

gottagardenz5 - Is your garage attached to the house, any heat supplied or, is it free-standing and the plant takes its chances? Oops--I just read your post again. "just above freezing". Did you even dampen the potting mix during the winter.

This is another good idea for me to try.

Thanks all. Kay