We were treated to an information-packed, humorous, and well-delivered talk by Leila Jackson of T3 nurseries, talking about her passion for salvias (abutilons and other perennials) on Wednesday, 2nd November.

Leila had visited us two years ago following which a group of us had visited her nursery in Leominster, a family run business, where she currently holds the national collection of abutilons. She has very much involved her two children aged 11 and 14 to help out with the many shows at which she now exhibits across the country.

Her collection of salvias is now growing too with 160 plants of this amazing plant which belongs to the lamiaceae (dead nettle) family; sub-family nepetoideae (nepeta); and genus mentheae (mint). Leaves vary but the plant has a common feature which is a square stem. The red salvias, so common in municipal bedding arrangements, have been superseded by their taller and infinitely more beautiful cousins.

This vast species come from three distinct regions – Central and South America, Central Asia and East Asia and total around 600-800 types in a range of striking colours including white and yellow, although these are rarer. Salvias can come in the form of shrubs, herbaceous perennials and annuals so some need more TLC than others. They respond well to being pruned in spring which should result in getting more flowers and it’s a good idea to take cuttings to increase stock. Even when they’ve finished flowering their bracts are attractive.

A feature of the flowers is a large upper lip and two lower ones. Common varieties are Hot Lips, Amistad (purple), Eldorado, Stony Pink, Mulberry Jam; Wendy’s Wish, and Blue Enigma. Some of the salvias of the involucrata and guarantica variety, feature tubers and these are of the more tender variety as if the tubers get wet in the winter they can rot so they need to be lifted in winter like dahlias or well protected. Shrubby salvias can get woody and leggy so Leila advised a hard prune in Spring back to 5-6” followed by nipping out the growing tips with a haircut in August to get the best out of the plant.

Leila finished her talk with a whistle-stop run through of some of her favourite perennials, including the lemon giant cephalaria, eryngium to provide late season colour and interest; the many varieties of sanguisorba; asters such as Michaelmas daisy; echinacea, rudbeckia, persicaria (bistort); new varieties of clover, campanulas, and one which many of us didn’t know – baptisia australis – a hardy lupin-like perennial which flowers over a long period so a must for next year’s shopping list!.

Leila’s passion for flowers shone through her talk and certainly inspired the audience who were lucky enough to enjoy her talk.

LESLEY MILLER