All salvia plants originate from the powerful herb sage. Most of the herbaceous varieties have a scent to their leaves, with some stronger than others. Always check before buying herbaceous salvia as to their hardiness, as some varieties do need winter protection. Some varieties, such as the wonderfully named ‘Hot Lips’, ‘Royal Bumble’ and the stunning ‘Nachtvlinder’ are hardy down to around -15°. However, if we are to experience prolonged periods of frost below -10ׄ° (for more than five days), then we would recommend that you protect the plants with a fleece.
Salvia range in heights from 30cm up to 2m and come in all colours but the most predominant are red, pink, and blue. They tend to start flowering around May and, with regular deadheading, will be in flower till around September /October. You can cut the plants right back around June time and this will give a full second flush. There are over 900 different varieties of salvia so there really is one for every type of situation. Generally, they are sun lovers, and you need to plant in free draining soil, though some will take a little shade. For any of the varieties that are on the tender side it is always good practice to take cuttings late summer/ early autumn. This will then give you a back-up stock for the following year.
Salvia will attract a whole host of pollinators to your garden, including bumble bees, butterflies, and moths. The taller, woody varieties will also attract the smaller birds to your garden, as they love to perch amongst them.
Our favourite salvia is ‘Amistad’ which reaches over 1m in height and has striking purple-blue flowers with dark, almost black stems and the signature flowers that are shaped like lips. We used ‘Amistad’ in all our RHS Flower Show displays in 2023, including our display at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Salvia work well in mixed borders but can also be highly effective in signature pots on the balcony and terrace. They are classed as a drought-tolerant plant once established. If you have them in pots and containers, they will need more water than those planted into the ground. If they lack water and become dehydrated, the leaves will droop.