I've actually ordered a couple of that specific salvia to try in 2 of my hanging planters this year. I saw it when purchasing seeds from Select Seeds and was intrigued. Petunias always fizzle out for me by mid-August, even though I trim them back a bit to try and promote new flowers. So I thought the Hummingbird Falls might be perfect instead, and might plant some alyssum with the salvia so it cascades a bit more.
The dark purple is the Bodacious Hummingbird Falls Salvia, and I love it. I mixed it with Supertunia Bordeaux, Wave Light Yellow Petunia, and Snow Princess Alyssum for the basket, and it's been growing beautifully. If it continues blooming until frost like this, I'll definitely be ordering them for hanging baskets every year. It probably would do beautifully on its own in a hanging basket, but I love mixing things together.
Thanks for the review, Nancy! I saw that on the FBTS site and was tempted until my better sense prevailed — I can't keep hanging baskets much past June because they dry too darn fast here. That probably won't stop me from trying again next spring now that I've seen your fabulous hummingbird salvia! 💙
All of my planters need daily watering, once in awhile a 2nd time later in the day. I would guess your zone probably would need 2x a day. The first few years I did it by hand, but standing in 98°+ sun with our humidity doing that even for 30 minutes gets old fast and is not comfortable nor fun. So I finally hooked up a drip system on a timer... you can see the 1/4" tubing at the bottom of the above pic just a bit right from the center. Then I added a fertilizer unit to it so I do nothing but enjoy it the rest of the summer and fall.
You can set the timers to water multiple times a day when the hotter days and increased root systems require more water. This year I switched my timers to bluetooth so I don't even have to go outside to make changes to them. They're wonderful to make use of so you have more time to actually enjoy your flowers instead of just being a slave to them. Before I put in the drip system, I compared the planters to having kids to take care of daily!
Definitely getting 3 of these next summer for my 3 hanging baskets in the back that get full sun. Hummingbird approved, and what those cute little buggers want, they get so I can stay amused by them all summer. They're staying in bloom without any deadheading as well, that's always a huge plus for me, and they're not showing any signs of slowing down yet, I expect them to keep blooming through fall.
Past the halfway point of September and they're still filled with flowers and the hummers are still feeding from them daily. I did no trimming back to increase flowers at all during the summer, no pruning to increase branching, no dead heading... absolutely nothing but water and fertilizer through the drip system. And sat back and watched the show! I love these plants!
