Late-Season Sages
When tender sages are packaged in 4-inch pots and lined up along the greenhouse benches at the nursery in spring, it’s difficult to believe that their handful of compact bloom spikes daintily dancing above tidy foliage could make an impact on the garden come fall. But these plants get better all season long as bigger, longer spikes adorned with blowsy blooms emerge magnificent and austere above full, lush foliage—and keep going despite dropping temps. So let’s explore the sages that rule the late-season garden, whether they bloom from summer to frost, or, like the red pineapple sage pictured at right, wait until shorter daytime hours to reveal their irresistible flowers.
What makes these plants so lovable that they’re readily grown as annuals in zones where they aren’t even hardy? For one, they’re problem-solvers for tricky situations: They tolerate clay soils and periods of drought, handle high heat, don’t mind humidity, and deer don’t eat them. If you’re looking for low maintenance,
