I have two dogs.  Molly, the oldest, is a 15 year old Schnauzer with definite signs of aging. Lucy, the stray we adopted, is about 3 or 4 years old. I have a carpet that needs to be cleaned frequently and furniture that looks like a beagle fur coat but the one thing I don’t have to deal with is fleas!

My dogs don’t wear flea collars, have never had treatments or been dipped.  I attribute the lack of fleas to Autumn Sage (Salvia Greggii).

My yard is full of it.  The dogs walk through it on their daily jaunts through the backyard. They come back in the house smelling like sage and they don’t have fleas.

So I did a little research to see if my flea theory was correct.  I came across the Responsible Pet Ownership Blog which has a list of plants that naturally help fight fleas. Sage is listed as one of them, along with mint and rosemary, which are also in my garden but not in the abundance as the Autumn Sage.

One thing I like about Autumn Sage is the variety of colors that are available.  My favorite is “Lipstick” followed by apricot.  I have several white ones in my “moon garden” which only has white flowers to reflect the moonlight.  In the south, Autumn sage will bloom almost year round.  Humming birds and other nectar loving garden visitors will dart from one bush to another.  It brings a lot to the garden.

Another attractive aspect of Autumn Sage is the price.  Most nurseries will have 4″ plants for less than $5.00.  They grow quickly and in no time you have a nice 2′-3′ bush.  It can handle some shade and loves the sun.

I love my dogs!  I love my Autumn Sage!