Count me in to the celebration, Emily - I'm not sure whether I'll be growing them here or SC, but I will grow them! I am all set with seeds; received some in round robins this year.

You are a wonderful ambassador for Yvonne! I sent off a card to her daughter - am hoping that as her family members receive a few from "strangers" from various places, they will really see how far and wide their mother's influence has spread.

Wonderful idea, Emily. I'm in.

I do have an offer open on the wintersowing exchange page. I have seeds left as requests for seeds this year have been less than last year.

Karen

I've shared seeds and the story with at least 3 people. Jim sent me far more seeds than I could plant. I'm following her method and have already started them indoors. They're about 3" tall now and growing more every day. I can't wait to collect and share my own seeds this year.

This is a wonderful idea and tribute.

I would be blessed to receive some of Yvonne's Salvia. I have not taken part in the seed offers here because I have not had seed to offer in exchange--yet. :) The generosity of the winter sowers here with Yvonne's Salvia and other seeds is very special.

Emily's comments and the description of Yvonne say to me that Yvonne's Salvia is a symbol of what heirlooms, heritage seed, and seed saving are about. Seeds help draw connections between people, communities, and heritage. Yvonne's Salvia embodies all of those special things.

Regards,
Nora Belle

NoraBelle: See my offer- no trade necessary. I distributed seeds last year, too, and I never ask for trade for Yvonne's seeds. All that is asked of you is to grow and enjoy the plant, harvest your seeds, and share them with other gardeners. Pay it foreward. I try to share them in the spirit that Yvonne shared them with Emily and Emily shared them with me.

Join in the fun.

Karen

Emily - have you contacted seed saver's exchange to see if they might have be able to help with preserving a pure strain of Yvonne's salvia from her very own garden?

I've attached a link to them below.

This year I'll be growing Yvonne's salvia grown from seed collected from gardenwebber PVick's New York balcony Yvonne's salvia. And some of those seeds have been passed on to gardenwebber angelady. Seedlings will also be shared with my neighbor up the hill.

It is very humbling to be part of Yvonne's Salvia Celebration year, and she will be in my thoughts as I watch her flowers bloom in my garden.

Lynda

Hi Emily, great idea! Count me in on the celebration.

I received seeds from you last year and absolutely LOVE this plant. Yvonne's Salvia is gorgeous, makes a fantastic cutting flower, and I used to sit and watch 2 female Hummers fight over it last September (the only other plant they fought over was the Lobelia cardinalis). I collected seed last fall and have shared it with 6 people so far. A neighbor who grew up in Brazil (where Salvia splendens is native) was quite taken with it, and I plan to start plants for her this year.

I wonder, if it becomes a named cultivar then what? Does Parks start selling it? Hoe does one handle the commercial aspect?

I would also love to participate in the celebration. I also haven't participated in the exchanges because of a lack of seeds to exchange (last year was a really bad garden year for me.) But if I recieve some seeds, they will be planted and I would be more than happy to pass the new seeds I get along with the story next year. And thank you very much for the offer.

You know I lurk and read a lot and I have noticed that this is one of the most amazing things about GW. You all do make friends as well as the flowers. BTW you have all convinced me. Since my garden did so poorly last year I was determined to try winter sowing this year. I sowed several perinnals (sp) and biannuals and I noticed yesterday that I do have dianthus sprouting. Hopefully the others will follow.

I went to buy more potting soil today and the clerk acted shocked, she asked me if I was already starting my seeds. I got a chance to explain winter sowing and directed her to GW.

Last year I was lucky enough to get some seeds from Karen and I shared them with 2 other gardeners. One of them sent me a picture of her flowers, they looked wonderful. I haven't sown my seeds yet but they're on my list for this year. When I get seeds from my plants I'll be sharing them with 3 people in South Carolina, and telling them about how special these seeds are. Yvonne's story will go on and on. She has blessed us!

Mary

Count me in! I have my seeds from Karen and will get them sown this week hopefully. Thanks for the idea,
Barb

I dont know anything about Yvonne except what I am hearing in the past few days but she sounds like a wonderful person and I have seen the pics several times in the last couple of years. I would happily grow and share if I could get some seeds from someone.

those pictures are amazing expecially since I bought a pack of red salvia seeds and it says they get 18" tall. Yvonnes were taller than her!

Hi

Count me in I Would happily to grow share if I could get a few seeds from someone to plant thanks

shanta

Emily,I am so sorry to read that Yvonne is gone from this earth but I believe her soul lives on.I was so excited when her article came out in B%B extra and the atricle about her and her seeds.Please save me a pkt.I planted some a couple yrs ago ,then had alot of sickness and dealing with death and I never got any seeds.They didn't grow large so this yr.I will chamge locations.I will send a sasbe/just let me know when.
moonphase

Hey, folks, I have had an offer open on the wintersowing exchange page, since Jan 16. It's for SASBE, no trade necessary.

Karen

I grew Yvonne's salvia seeds last summer, generously shared by Karen, and I've found 4 local gardners to share seed from those plants with this year. I also included some in a big round robin swap, so those seeds went out far and wide around the country.

I am so sorry to hear that this special person has left us.I will plant a nice stand of her flowers this summer and tell everyone who commnents on it her story.I'm going to try to start the seed earlier to get even larger plants.

Nancy

That is so nice of you to do. What a nice lady. I hope the seeds become named after her!!

Karen

What a beautiful tribute to what sounds like a very special lady. I would be honored to grow them in Yvonne's name.

I'm happy to see so much interest...remember, if you want seeds, you can email me or Karen, and we will give you the "particulars" for getting them.
I still have lots to go around...!

Emily

Emily,
It is sad to hear of her passing. Even though she did live a long life though and will always be remembered through her Salvia, it is still difficult to lose a friend. I lost an old tomato garden friend last Fall and it still hard.
About the name registration, you are trying to name a cultivar not a species. So everyone knows...The Genus is Salvia, the species is splendens, the cultivar name is 'Yvonne's Salvia' or 'Yvonne's' which ever you prefer. So the name would be Salvia spendens 'Yvonne's Salvia' or Salvia spendens 'Yvonne's'.
To get it official registered, the name Yvonne of course must not be already taken by another cultivar, and you must get the correct forms form the proper group/association/society. No trialing is required. You must be able to list all the characteristics of the plant and show that it is different than any other named cultivar.
Now the problem I've found is I don't know what group you must contact. Some are quite easy to know like for a Daylily, you contact the American Hemerocallis Society, or for an Iris, you contact the American Iris Society. But for a Salvia, I'm not sure. On the link below,all the registration groups can be found. There of course is not one for Salvia, lol. Hoepfully Rich knows who to contact. Maybe Robin of Robin's Salvias website knows.
Good Luck with everything,
Remy

I would be delighted to plant Yvonne's Salvia here in our community, but I have no seeds with which to start. Please email me from my page if you can spare a few seeds, and I will be delighted to share their bounty next spring! Thanks in advance,
Carol

Hi everyone...it's great to see all the responses & interest in participating in this widespread gardening tribute to Yvonne.

Please keep in mind the effort required by Emily & others to share these seeds...please don't ask them to email you - note Emily's request from above:

"...remember, if you want seeds, you can email me or Karen, and we will give you the "particulars" for getting them. I still have lots to go around...!"

I know they don't want to overlook you if they miss reading your request online...so please email them as requested.

I hope everyone gets a wonderful display of Yvonne's Salvias this year. Be sure to take photos later in the season to post for everyone to see.

Patrick

I am up very late getting information for my up-coming winter sowing season when I came across this post. I am so sorry to hear about Yvonne's passing. It has been very difficult for us here in Canada to get seeds, but last year I was fortunate enough to have someone from the Hummingbird Forum send me some. He sent me 10 seeds and all ten germinated. I was so disheartened during the summer by how slowly the grew I thought they would all die but late in August they took off and gave me such a lovely show. Two hummingbirds came by each day and 'danced' in front of them and I felt so lucky to have had success with them. I did not get many seeds because they bloomed so late, but I have shared the few I harvested with a friend in Toronto. I am planning to start mine indoors early for earlier and longer blooms. What a wonderful idea for all of us to celebrate her life. May she rest in peace.

I would love to commemorate the life of Yvonne by growing Yvonne's salvia. I have a packet of Yvonne's Salvia and if someone will send me extra seeds I will be sure to distribute them and tell about why we are growing them.
I did not know about Yvonne other than that there is a salvia known as Yvonne's Salvia and I am happy to know more. She sounds like a very dear gardener.
Jeanne

For anyone who wants to see this plant, here's a GW link

Mary

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jim_6b

Hi everyone,

Jim, that's a gorgeous shot!

Forgot to add, if you would like to sign Yvonne's on-line obituary guest book, I provided the link below...

Jim: those are absolutely beautiful.

Karen

What a great lady. I am sure she will be remembered for a long time.

I had gotten some of those seeds as a bonus. I sowed some inside and traded away the rest. They are beautiful!! However I killed mine when I was out of town for a funeral :(

hopefully the ones I shared will be grown well!

Karen

Jim a picture is worth a thousand words; I am sowing more of my seeds today. I plant daffodils because I like them but I also think they may be here to please in the spring after I'm gone. Some I have dug up from old home sites where the houses are long gone. I think of who might have planted them; someone like me who loves plants and the beauty they provide. I can't think of a better memorial for a gardener than having their seeds spread all over the country and beyond.

Yvonne sounded like a wonderful person.
I do hope you are able to register her flower to
honor her life.

Mary

I am very sorry to learn that she has passed away. :(

Hi Emily,

What a lovely posting you made in Yvonne's memory. She truly sounds like an extraordinary woman; how fortunate you were to have known her. Do you still have seeds left since offering them in your post? I would be honored to grow some and start sharing seeds for the celebration!
Thanks so much.... :o)

I am glad to see this thread bumped up.
I just sowed my Yvonne's Salvia seeds that Karen Q.
was nice enough to send me. I also kept half the
seeds, I was afraid to sow them all!

I can't seem to find out if they are annual or perennial
seeds? I am in zone 5b KS.

Thanks,
Mary

friesfan---they are annuals.
Duane

Thanks Duane.

I will mark them as such.

Mary

I grew this salvia in 2007 and it was beautiful. Last year I was in the mist of moving but kept seeds from the plants. I was in a urban area that hadn't seen hummingbirds in a long time and in 2007 they stopped by my home on migration for the fall to spend time with the salvia. It was so cool. This year I have started them from seed and will be very proud to grow them for Yvonne's memory. I am so sorry for the lose. I am sure she is happily watching us all grow them this year and for many years to follow. I can't wait for the hummingbirds to visit my home this year and the salvia. I know they are (hummers) are here from last late summer and fall when I moved in they will love Yvonne's salvia.

Hi,
Is 'Yvonne's Salvia' simply a renaming of Salvia splendens or is it a genuine cultivar of it? Has it been registered?