We are always on the lookout for good new garden sages and this is the best we have seen recently. This cross of Salvia darcyi x Salvia microphylla was discovered by Art Petley of Austin, Texas. Looking superficially like Salvia microphylla, the 3' wide clump is topped all summer and until frost with 15" spikes of rich, dark orange-red (RHS 42A). In fall, the remarkable number of flowers explodes into a solid mass of color...a hummingbird party plant. Salvia 'Silke's Dream' is a particularly durable and easy-to-grow sage that is destined for stardom. Thanks to Scott Ogden for sharing this exciting salvia hybrid that we admired in his Texas garden during a 2000 visit.
