Of all the plants in one’s garden, there are always a few that become our favorite. Salvia Coral Nymph is one of those plants for me. As everyone knows, there are so many salvias, it hard not to have some in any garden. At the local herb fair The Growers Exchange attended for many years, there was a guy that sold only salvias. He packed everything in a station wagon and attended fairs like this one for no other reason than that he loved salvia, and thought everyone should be able to grow them. So the herb fair was also one’s only chance each year to buy rare salvias for the up coming summer. I was always sure to come home with several.

Coral Nymph is a little more common than some salvia, but one does not see it often. In my travels, I always scan yards and visit nurseries to see what treasures may turn up. It seems to me Coral Nymph is found in pockets, some grower will introduce it to the area, and it becomes a local stand by in local gardens.

For a hot, dry area with full sun, Coral Nymph can produce salmon and white flower stalks from early summer until a hard freeze. The one pictured endured frost two nights ago. Nothing likes to eat it because the foliage has a strong smell when bruised. They grow big, 24- 30 “ in height and the same around. If you are looking for salmon in a sunny place, Coral Nymph is worth trying. And if you like it, it reseeds readily the next year.