Bloom Color

Interesting Notes

The salvias that most people are familiar with are salvia officinalis, common garden sage; and salvia splendens, the brilliant red annual that most people seem to plant with yellow marigolds (come n, let's try it with dark purple petunias for across- the- colour- wheel shock value, or with burgundy ones for more sophisticated drama!). But the salvia family is a huge one, encompassing annuals, biennials and perennials, of forms both subtle and bold, which deserves exploration. Another up-and-coming selection is S. verticillata "Purple Rain." This plant, instead of having a spike of uninterrupted florets, bears it's blooms in balls of individual lavender florets up the stem with gaps between the balls, a unique and appealing arrangement. (http://www.seniority.co.uk/content/archive/homehobbies_garden_salvias.html)

July sees the garden at its best as the perennial plants in the raised bed jostle for space and attention, filling the garden with colour and fragrance. A new plant to me, but a success in my overstuffed raised bed where an unsuitable plant can soon be smothered, is a Salvia with very attractive purple flower spikes that are forcing theirway up throughout the bed. Salvia verticillata 'Purple Rain' is fully hardy in the UK and, although I'm not that familiar with it, it looks like continuing to flower through the summer. The plant can grow to a height of up to 3 ft with a spread of about 2ft and the oval leaves are quite large ( about 5inches long), soft and hairy. Associating well with the salvia is another new plant to me, Achillea 'Lachsschonheit', also known as A.'Salmon Beauty' one of the relatively new Galaxy Hybrids which offer a wide colour range including pinks, corals, oranges and earthy ochre shades. (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~gphughes/july.htm)

Growing and Maintenance Tips

S. verticillata can be found ranging from Northern to Southern Europe. Prefers average , clay or sandy, well-drained soils in full sun. Drought and humidity tolerant. Propagate by division or cuttings in early summer. Cut back in the fall for rebloom. May need winter protection. May be used as a perennial border, rock gardens or in naturalized areas.