How to grow them
n Position Plant in garden beds where
they’ll get sun for most of the day,
as they won’t flower well (if at all) in
shade. Afternoon shade in summer,
or dappled light from trees for a part
of the day, is fine. Salvias work well
in open beds and borders, combined
with other sun-loving perennials and
shrubs. If your garden is limited for
sunshine, grow in pots and move
around to catch seasonal sunlight.
n Soil Well-drained soil is essential
for salvias. Beyond that, they’re fairly
tolerant of a range of different soil
types, from rich loam to sand- and
clay-based soils. Before planting,
dig the ground over and enrich it
with manure and compost; this adds
organic matter and also improves
the texture of sands and clays.
n Feeding The general rule is not to
over-do the feeding when it comes
to these plants. An excess of nitrogen
tends to lead to lots of leaf growth,
at the expense of flowers. In early
spring, give them a light dressing of
a general purpose slow-release plant
food, then follow this up with an
occasional dose of a soluble fertiliser
formulated for flowering plants,
such as Thrive Flower & Fruit.
n Water Most varieties have good
drought tolerance, but you’ll get best
results by watering them regularly
through the summer months. To
help them survive long hot, dry
spells, it’s also a good idea to protect
their roots with a layer of mulch,
keeping it back from the stem of the
plant. During the cool months of the
year, little extra watering is needed.
n Pruning Salvias should be pruned
back after flowering, to tidy up the
plants and keep them compact.
Give them an all-over shear, cutting
stems back to behind the spent
flower heads. The larger growing,
shrubby salvias can be pruned back
more severely if desired. Cut them
back by about half their height in
late winter or early spring, then
feed to encourage new growth.
- A scarlet-flowered
S. roemeriana.
9. ‘Love and Wishes’
is part of a fabulous
range – see ‘What’s
new’ (opposite).
10. Dark buds
with pale flowers
provide extra
colour contrast.
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