I am curious about that other folk grow with their salvias. I use salvias as part of a larger nectar gardening plan and I wonder if other do so also. So here is one example of a plant combination, there are many others.

Salvia coccinea and Zinnia - these two really work well together. The older varieties of coccinea like Lady in Red and Coral Nymph have a large enough stature to compete with the tall Zinnia and there is something about the leaf texture and color range that just seems right.

If anyone is interested there are lot of other examples, but I would like to hear what others do.

My favorite combos.....

Salvia sagittata and tagetes lemmonii planted beneath a Liquidamber tree in fall coloring....

Any large salvias interplanted with large grasses....

I bet that is a nice combination. The perennial Marigold was in my park garden for years, beautiful yellow fall flowers. Sagittata just won't grow in this climate and liquidamber Sweet Gum is native and all around my yard. Currently its "dingleballs" are filling my gutters.

Another combination - Salvia greggii and Calamintha nepeta nepeta. I have around 40 feet of this mixed together. The tiny bluish white flowers on the Calamintha go well with the Wild Thing greggiis and the bees are made for it. The patch also includes Agastache foeniculum another plant nectaring insects are mad for.

Another favorite ...seen at a rural restaurant in Cambria, Ca......was a long 'hedge' comprised of tagetes lemmonii and salvia leucantha 'Midnight'. When I saw it, it was covered with butterflies...stunning sight!

I'm in a new location and did not think I have a place for the tagetes lemmonii with it's wonderful coloring...but upon careful consideration, will have to have it again. I do not have as much room here to spread out color combos.

I love having salvias together with salvias, agastaches, zinnias, verbenas, porterweeds, cupheas and I can't think of others at this moment.

Thanks, Ward, for a fun topic!

Keeping it in the family, I really enjoyed some pairings of Salvia and sun tolerant Coleus that I had this year. It probably works best with the more moisture tolerant varieties like Salvia splendens, guaranitica, 'Wendy's Wish', etc. Coleus has so many color and leaf-shape choices that you could really have fun making different color & texture combos.

I don't have any great photos to show, but this is Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Bloom' with Coleus 'Wall Street'.

Danita said:Thanks, Ward, for a fun topic!

Sorry for not mentioning it above.

Love your colorful pic combo Danita.

My first hummingbird plants were honeysuckles. I have "Scentsation", a very fragrant variety with abundant yellow/cream bloom clusters- and "Late Dutch" honeysuckle that has clustered blooms with some pink in them. I usually like to use botanical names but can't remember them and too lazy to look them up. I love the smell of them. I also have a bed with perennial Lobelias- L Cardinalis, L x Gerardii Verdrariensis (gorgeous purple blooms) and L Siphilitica (Great Blue). Those aren't with the Salvias but nearby. Of course I am really just getting my gardens going. Am getting Scrophularia Macrantha which is supposed to be a great nectar plant and is a native species with interesting looking blooms. I may try a red flowering yucca. Since I am relatively new to gardening I am still learning and Salvias are so easy that I will have areas that will be groups of salvias. Oh I do have a "Black Knight" butterfly bush. I am going to start some native Columbine for something earlier flowering and also have old fashioned pink bleeding hearts given to me by my neighbor. This was a great idea for a thread- enjoy reading what others are posting as I have much to learn.