Salvia plants
Perennial salvias, also known as sage, are mainstays of the mid-summer flower garden, producing beautiful, tightly packed tubular flowers with a split lower petal in a wide range of colours spanning bright red, electric blue and lemon yellow from mid-summer through autumn. The flowers are held on erect spikes above an attractive clump of rich green or bronzy foliage which is pleasantly scented when crushed. These indispensable stalwarts of the flower garden work well in classic or contemporary gardens and are well-suited to tropical planting schemes or wildlife gardens where they make a haven for pollinators. Salvias are in their element in a sunny spot in a poor, dry soil. They're very happy in containers and cope well with the salt-laden air of coastal gardens. On heavier soils or if growing in pots, incorporate plenty of horticultural grit to improve drainage.