SALVIAS are a gigantic genus in the Lamiaceae family, with almost 1,000 species encompassing woody shrubs, perennials and diminutive annuals. They have a wide geographical spread, growing in all continents except Australasia; the most popular garden cultivars can be broadly divided into hardy/half-hardy herbaceous perennials and hardy/half-hardy shrubs. Their ability to flower from midsummer to the first frosts, in a myriad range of colours, makes them indispensable in the border. In the dog days of August, when all feels bleached and fatigued, salvias glow in clear blues, bright scarlets, and opulent purples, their nectar-rich, lipped flowers crowded with pollinators.
William Dyson’s growing tips
Salvias require