A mix of hardy herbaceous and borderline hardy sub-shrubby ones. We just grow the ones we like and grow well for us!
Salvia is another very large genus where it would be impossible to grow all of them due to the numbers and the varied conditions they require. We have a small selection, mostly of hardy herbaceous types, that have proved to be well worth growing over the years.
The herbaceous types are mostly forms of the British native Meadow Sage or Meadow Clary, Salvia pratensis, the hybrids of Salvia nemorosa and some selections of Salvia verticillata. These are all good garden plants that will thrive in ordinary soil in sun with reasonable drainage, the drainage is key - a waterlogged site in winter will cause losses. These Salvias all start flowering in late spring and will continue through most of the summer and into autumn, and provide a good winter seedhead from many of them too.
The less hardy types include forms of the shrubby Salvia microphylla and Salvia x jamensis (central Americans) and the south American Salvia guaranitica and Salvia uliginosa. These will usually all be hardy in sheltered gardens, especially if planted with a mulch of composted bark or similar around them. Many people like to grow them in pots and containers though and these will need the protection of a cold greenhouse or similar in winter.
TENDER An eyecatching hybrid with masses of racemes of purple calyces and white flowers flushed with pale lavender. May be worth trying outside in a warm sunny, sheltered garden but overwinter frost free to be safe. 50cm.
Syn. 'Hardy Form'. New to us but supposedly hardy form of this spectacular sage with upright spikes of big bright pink tubular flowers that will arch over as they mature. Reddish stems and veins. Well drained, warm sheltered position in sun. 1.5m.
AGM Brilliant glowing magenta pink flowers on a bushy plant to 60cm. Leafier than some types. For a well drained soil in full sun and a sheltered position.
A special form we have grown for many years with brilliant scarlet flowers, dark stems and small shiny leaves. Shrubby habit, for a well drained sheltered spot. More or less hardy. 60cm.
One of our favourite forms of this useful hardy herbaceous sage. Soft green foliage and masses of rich lilac lavender pink blue flowers to 45cm in summer. Drained soil in sun.
Well known short-lived sage with branched stems of light lavender flowers with large pinkish bracts in summer. Self seeder for drained soils in full sun. 75cm.
Rarely seen light blue flowered form with soft blue-purple bracts extending the season of interest from late spring to late summer. Easy and hardy in drained soil in sun. 30cm.
A very pretty form with denim blue flowers in big purple bracted spikes giving a good show long after each flower has fallen. Makes a fairly big clump in time to 30cm high. Ordinary soil in sun.
AGM An excellent clear blue form producing many spikes of flowers from May until midsummer and then sporadically later. Can be cut back after the first flush to promote more. Drained soil in sun. 40cm.
