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  • Salvia

    (Sage)
    Lamiaceae

    A genus whose popularity has risen exponentially in recent times. Offering a diverse range of form and colour there is a Salvia for nearly every garden situation with more and more being discovered and described all the time. The count now stands somewhere in excess of 1000, including subspecies, according to The Plant List. They are found on every continent except Antarctica.

    From a gardeners perspective they can not all be treated the same, they come from many different climates after all, but as a rule of thumb can be grouped into winter rainfall and summer rainfall species and with few exceptions they all prefer well drained soil.

    Soft leaved species from Central and South America are usually autumn and winter flowering. Coming from summer rainfall areas they typically need protection from dry heat and the accompanying high light intensity and they vary in their tolerance of winter damp. As with most plants the larger the leaves the more water they require, this also dictates how fast they grow with many growing several metres in a single season.

    Species from south western North America, South Africa, the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands are all winter growers and are tolerant or demanding of dry heat and summer drought. Slower growing but usually longer lived these all tend to have small, densely haired, silver or grey leaves or a combination of these traits which help them conserve moisture. Most of these require no additional water in Perth and are well adapted to our climate. They tend tend to flower from spring into summer.


    Prune back to where vigorous new basal growth is seen, never to dead wood, they appear to store little food in their stems and without leaves stand a chance of starving to death or at least struggle to regenerate. The exception is those few that are tuberous or clump forming, these can be cut to ground level once the stems start dying back in late autumn.
    • dorrii var. pilosa   CAG02627

      (purple sage, Desert sage)
      Height40cmWidth70cmFlowering SeasonSp - SuWaterLLightFull Sun
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      Pungently scented, silver spoon shaped leaves clothe the cork barked branches of this low growing shrub, adaptations that no doubt help it survive the harsh environment of its home in the deserts of south west North America. In spring slender spikes bear tiered whorls of sapphire blue flowers emerging from rosy bracts.

      A plant of rare beauty it is intolerant of wet feet and summer humidity, much preferring extremes heat, drought and cold preferably in sand or other poor sharply drained soil. Moist coastal gardens will invariable prove fatal as will mulch and soil improver.

    • ‘Indigo Spires’   CAG00585
      Height1.2mWidth1mFlowering SeasonAllWaterMLightSun
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      An evergreen, woody shrub. Soft, coarsely textured, sage-green leaves, clothe woody stems that appreciate support from other plants. Long spikes of rich royal-blue tubular flowers are produced year round. Cut back stems when new growth is seen at the base.

    • muirii   CAG01458
      Height1mWidth80cmFlowering SeasonSp - AuWaterM - LLightSun
      Salvia muirii
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A low growing, stiffly branched, suckering, evergreen shrub from sandy soil in eastern South Africa. The grey-red stems are clothed in pairs of small, undulating, elliptical, grey green leaves. Deep sky blue, hooded, tubular flowers, each with a prominent, white splashed lip, emerge from pairs of reddish bracts along slender, sparsely leaved stems.
      Trim lightly when the accumulation of spent flower stems becomes to great to bear.

      An outstanding new introduction, proving to be very hardy to heat and exposure.

      We have great expectations for this plant and predict it will become a garden stalwart.

    • namaensis   CAG02290
      Height50cmWidth40cmFlowering SeasonSp - SuWaterM - LLightSun
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A curious little southern African species forming a scantily clad shrublet with fine dark stems and small, crinkled, pale green, dissected leaves and short spikes of tubular, palest blue, two lipped flowers.

      Little drought tolerance but easy and quick growing in any well drained soil and still relatively hardy given its bright and dainty appearance. An appropriate companion, both geographically and culture-wise, for some of the karoid Pelargonium, P. ionidiflorum, P. reniforme, P. sidoides etc., perhaps on a bank with large boulders to compliment foliage and form.

    • pomifera   CAG02369

      (Apple sage)
      Height80cmWidth60cmFlowering SeasonSp - SuWaterLLightFull Sun
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A small and elegant shrub from stony hillsides in southern Greece with felty, soft grey, broadly lance shaped leaves. Slender branching stems bear soft blue, two lipped flowers emerging from clusters of long lasting rosy bracts, delightfully full of promise in bud.

      Easily among the most beautiful in the genus and the envy of gardeners in damper climates, being intolerant of much summer humidity and water, probably short lived on the eastern seaboard. Claire Woods reinforces the point nicely in this post. Fond of limestone but easily grown in any very well drained sunny soil, the leaner the better.

      Gall wasps parasitize the plant in its natural home and the resultant galls, or apples as the common name suggests, are apparently quite a delicacy. The gall wasps here have yet to provide me with these tasty treats.

    • somalensis   CAG00597
      Height1.2mWidth1mFlowering SeasonSp - AuWaterM - LLightSun
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      An evergreen shrubby perennial from Somalia. Rubbery, soft green, folded, lance shaped leaves, like taco shells made of rough skin, clothe the erect stems that bear long spikes of two lipped, pale blue, tubular flowers throughout the warmer months.

      Not brittle unlike many Sages making it tolerant of high traffic areas where its uncommonly light colouring can be used to best effect.

      Easily grown in any reasonably well drained soil, survives drought once established but responds greatly to irrigation that mimics its summer rainfall home. Frost sensitive but otherwise highly durable. Remove old woody stems in favour of fresh new basal growth.

    • texana   CAG02708
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

    • uliginosa   CAG00689

      (Bog Sage)
      Height1.5mWidth1.5mFlowering SeasonSu - AuWaterMLightSun
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A spreading perennial. Roughly textured, mid to dark green, finely toothed leaves, are borne in pairs on tall, erect stems, carrying dense spikes of brilliant, sky blue, hooded, tubular flowers, throughout Summer. Remove any stems that have finished flowering and cut back to ground level at the end of autumn.

  • Tweedia
    • caerulea   CAG00510
      Height60cmWidth60cmFlowering SeasonSummerWaterM - LLightSun
      Tweedia caerulea
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      An odd little scrambling Brazilian plant with felty, downward pointing, arrow shaped leaves that in late spring and summer produces clusters of amazing, enamel, pale blue, five petalled flowers from furry buds that elicit admiration from all. The tapered seed pods, full of silky fluff, are an added bonus and seedlings sometimes appear spontaneously in wayward places.

      Fairly hardy so long as its feet don't get too wet and it receives occasional summer drinks. Best planted where it can be supported by or drape amongst smaller plants which it is very unlikely to smother, Dianthus might make for some interesting combos.

      Sometimes predated upon by the larvae of the Lesser Wanderer butterfly if other members of the Milkweed family aren't available and the mildly toxic milky sap is best avoided.

  • Veronica
    • spicata ‘Blue Sensation’   CAG00653
      Height30cmWidth45cmFlowering SeasonSp - SuWaterMLightSun
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A ground hugging perennial with spires of densely packed sapphire blue flowers over folded, sage green, elliptic leaves. Veronica spicata with its strongly vertical flowerheads is a classic component of the perennial border and mixed plantings or massed in more formal designs. Typically combined with horizontal and complimentary coloured Achillea and Sedum.

      V. ‘Blue Sensation’ has so far been the most reliable cultivar, here, of what is essentially a plant of temperate climes throughout Europe extending eastwards.

      Easily grown in any regularly irrigated, reasonably drained, mostly sunny soil, though alkaline soils are preferred. Remove the previous years growth when virile new shoots emerge during winter to maintain densest form.

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