digging and planting...

some stuff that was on my mind to rearrange. I have some perennial sage that has been growing for years, gets killed off over the winter, but comes back with a vengeance in spring. I have dug and replanted some, relocating a couple of times. But it is prone to spread. Not as invasive as some things I have regretted for years, but requires pretty close attention or it will definitely get away from you.

When I was out digging the wild onions, and pulling weeds a few weeks ago, I was very ruthless in pulling up some of the sage that has spread from underground runners. The mother plant sends out babies, causing the little ones to sneak a good distance away before they pop up and surprise you with more unexpected plants. I just pulled those little suckers up and trashed them along with the many weeds I wanted to get pulled before they bloomed and went to seed.

It's really a pretty plant, and smells wonderful: called pineapple sage, with foliage that really does have a remarkable aroma. Blooms in the fall, on a bush that gets surprisingly large for dying back to ground level in the cold months. Bright red spikey blooms that pollinators love, so I will keeps some of it around, but diligent to not let it spread.

I was digging up a lot of small shoots this afternoon and put them in pots. To take to the botanical gardens in early June when there is another plant sale. This one is a one day event: daylily show and sale. But there will be someone running a shop to benefit the gardens, with donated goods. Like plants people had that needed to be divided, unwanted pots or vases to recycle/resell, gardening books, maybe tools someone who is downsizing wants to get rid of.

I thought if the pineapple sage got in pots a month in advance, they would be acclimated, recover from transplant shock and look desirable for gardeners to want to buy. If no one wants them: I think I can be heartless again and put them in the trash... but hope there is, like P.T. Barnum said, someone who will think the pineapple sage is just the perfect addition to their garden. It does smell wonderful!