Exploring Nature: Superb Salvia

Texas violet salvia is a prolific bloomer, attracting pollinators while withstanding the grazing deer population.
Photo from Metro Creative

I have enough whitetailed deer around my place to make it impossible to grow a garden without a high fence around it. Otherwise, the deer gobble up everything as soon as it sprouts.

Unfortunately, they do not eat enough grass to make it unnecessary to mow, so I still have that chore to take care of.

Lately, I have noticed twin fawns following their mother around. They’re a little past the Bambi-cute stage, and it won’t be long before they are mature adults.

I have done some research and am considering planting salvia in my yard. I am told it is easy to grow, a prolific bloomer that comes in a variety of colors and is very versatile.

But the clincher is that it is “resistant to deer and disease.”

A member of the mint family, salvia comes from the Latin word salvere, which means “to heal.” Ancient Romans believed salvia stimulated the brain and memory, and as a bonus, they used it to clean their teeth.

Your local garden center should have salvia plants, and you can enjoy this prolific bloomer through midsummer and fall. Salvia can be planted in the spring or fall in a variety of soils.

So if you have deer around your place, salvias might be your salvation. They are a hummingbird magnet and I guess you might even try using salvia to clean your teeth.

But I don’t really recommend that.