Dahlias

Whether you plant them as tubers (a swollen root like a potato) or buy them as potted plants, Dahlias will wow you from August through frost. If you have at least six hours of direct sun each day, it’s certainly worth it to try these outstanding flowers. When you have Dahlias growing—especially those that are taller than three feet—the rest of your garden fades into the background.

For the best choice, order tubers from specialty nurseries. Several online retailers sell dahlia tubers in the very early spring in bags containing three tubers for around $10 to $15. It’s best to order them online as early as December to assure you will get what you want the following March or April. Longfield Gardens opens their online shop in December. They offer a great video How to Plant Dahlias.

Specialty growers like Swan Island Dahlias offers single tubers that range in price from $6 to $35. But Dahlias are all they do, so they know their stuff. There are other retailers that specialize in bulbs of all kinds, also good sources for Dahlia tubers. Two are Old House Gardens and Brent and Becky’s Bulbs.

More and more garden centers are offering Dahlias in pots. The shorter the variety, the easier they are to transplant into your garden. They also are good in containers.

Salvia: A Hummingbird’s Last Buffet

If you’ve enjoyed hummingbirds in your garden throughout the summer, there is no better farewell party plant than Salvia. In the sage family, decorative Salvia comes in a wide array of sizes, forms and colors.

Four varieties that have stood out as hummingbird magnets are tall and loosely-formed. Some have even required staking. They are:

‘Amistad’

One of the best Salvias for large blooms in a deep shade of blue. In my partly sunny garden, I’ve used stakes to keep it from laying all over its neighbors. It grows around four feet tall and at least five feet across by the end of summer.

‘Wendy’s Wish’ and ‘Love and Wishes’

I’ve grown both of these Australian-bred beauties, and have been amazed at their bloom power. Like most of the Salvias, they don’t do much until it gets hot. Then you can’t stop these brawny 4’ by 5’ stunners from blooming. They don’t hold back when the nights cool down; in fact, they increase bloom production as if they know it’s their last chance before a heavy frost takes them down. The sales of both plants benefit Australia’s Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Burgundy Scarlet Sage (Salvia splendens ‘van Houttei’)

These can be grown in partial to full shade, and like the others, really puts on a show from late summer through frost. For me it grew up to nearly four feet tall, and the hummingbirds loved its huge burgundy and scarlet flowers.

Salvia ‘Playin’ the Blues’

A newcomer in the world of Salvias, ‘Playin’ the Blues’ was one of the sample plants I received this spring from Proven Winners. From mid-July, each spike has remained colorful even after the individual flower dries up, providing some of the most long-lasting color in my garden. As its name indicates, flowers are blue, and the plant, for me, has reached just around three feet tall. It’s in a container by the window so I can see the hummingbirds fight over its nectar.