Does May Night Salvia come back every year or does it reseed? or both? and how big does it get?
I am looking for something that is blue/purple and about 12-18 tall and comes back every year without fail- without needing a lot of fuss and watering and will take heavy soil. a miracle plant?

Mine is gorgeous now, and in it's third year in my yard. I've not found volunteers. I don't know if it's sterile, but I imagine that it might not come true from seed. You might need to buy the plant or propagate by cuttings or division.

Karen

so it is a perennial? not a bi-annual?

Mine comes back every year and it is in heavy soil. Gets eaten up by whatever eats most of the other foliage plant--tiny green grasshoppers or something, and it struggles in the summer drought (I don't usually add supplemental water). But it keeps chugging along and is beautiful when it blooms. Haven't found any volunteers, either.

This is the 4th year in my heavy clay garden. It looks great in May and early June, but will look scraggly and tired in July. If I cut off the spent flower spikes, I get a less spectacular but still nice round of bloom in August.

Yeah, what she said. (I forgot the I-cut-off-the-first-spikes-too part )

It is hardy in zones 3-10

http://www.santarosagardens.co...

Karen

well is there anything that looks nice in July or August and has blue or purple flowers and is tough as nails? There is not a spout close by so watering will not be frequent. The soil is average. Will Salvia fit the bill?

A few suggestions:

Salvia amplexicaulis
S. deserta
S. patens varieties
S. pratensis 'Indigo'
S. x 'Sally Greenwood'

If you were willing to amend the soil a bit for better drainage, maybe plant on a slight mound, then Salvia hybrid 'Ultra Violet' might work:


For a non-Salvia idea, perhaps Ceratostigma plumbaginoides:

I can't raise the area on a mound because it is actually the top edge of a drainage ditch, and slopes slightly. So therefore drought tolerance is a factor, as well as not so great soil. The plumbago is a terrific idea, I will look into that. It might work. Thanks for the suggestion.

with everyone said.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions for Frillylily.

When I stop being lazy sometime I will post a pic of the area I am working on. Right now there is a row of box wood shrubs I just planted this spring. Is the plumbago a common plant I can find at Lowes or do I need to mail order it? I am not sure I have seen it, maybe if it were right smack in front of my face I would recognize it
I think I will put some rocks out there too, will post pics as I go. Right now it is doing little pop up rain showers almost every afternoon.

"plumbago a common plant I can find at Lowes?" Most likely in the Spring. Also, look at other garden centers locally if you don't want to order it.

It's a ground cover. I've planted it before. Beautiful blue flowers and the leaves became red in the Fall. I didn't know it was a ground cover when I planted it and got rid of it within a year. An aggressive grower, esp. if grown in too rich/fertile soil.

I've thought about planting it again, but only in a container.

Leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)

http://www.missouribotanicalga...

http://www.northcreeknurseries...

http://www.perennials.com/plan...

http://www.santarosagardens.co...

http://www.newgardenplants.com...

wow, thanks for the links, that is most helpful!

Santa Rosa Gardens usually starts their yearly summer clearance soon. There are usually some really good deals so you may want to check for the Ceratostigma then. I'll be sure to post it on the Garden Deals Forum when I get their email for the sale.

You're Frillylily

Danita

Santa Rosa Gardens' big clearance sale is on!
Don't forget to use the coupon codes, found in this link, for extra savings:
The thread "Santa Rosa Gardens summer clearance sale" in Garden Deals forum

They have the hardy Ceratostigma for $2.99, as well as many Salvias and Agastaches!
http://www.santarosagardens.co...

I posted on Perennials forum and found the Salvia forum.
Here is some further info. for salvia care.
The video is not too great but it is short.
Trimming Salvias.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...