SALVAGING SAGE WAS THE RIGHT DECISION

Does it bother you to throw plants away? I can't stand to throw even the smallest cutting in the compost heap. I think most gardeners are eternal optimists and think any 'ol sprig will grow if given the chance. That's how I felt about the sage stuck in some pots with spent annuals.

Sage leaves have such a beautiful color.

Here's what it looked like in August when freshly potted.

Here's the whole collection of heat loving plants.

Yuck! And here's what I had at the end of the season. I decided to give the sage another chance.

Ah, that's better. The other plants are gone and the sage looks hopeful.

I snipped back the sage and made a little bouquet for my wife. The purple flowers are from Aechmea gamosepala.

I used some more of the sage for cooking.

Here's the pot of sage now in the flower bed.

And here's another shot blending in with Rosemary and a nifty Aloe. It's growing quite well and ready for another year. Salvaging sage was the right decision.

The 'Berggarten' variety seems to hold up best to the heat and humidity of zone 9 gardens here in Texas.

Hope you try some sage soon. It's a great little accent plant and lovely herb.

Salvia officinalis