survive in the warmer parts of zone 5),
and ‘Wild Thing’. For the best chance
of success, don’t cut back S. greggii in
the fall, but wait until it shows signs of
life in spring.
Salvia uliginosa, bog sage (zones
6–10), is spangled with true-blue
blooms and reaches 4–6 ft. tall. It grows
well in moist or dry soil and may
require some staking or pinching early
in the season to maintain a good habit
throughout its long season of summer
and fall bloom. It has a tendency to
spread in damp soil, but it isn’t hard to
control. It may reseed modestly, though
not enough to make itself a pest—only
enough to make it more likely to return
after a hard winter. Don’t cut into the
woody part of the stem until signs of
new growth appear in spring.
Salvia verticillata ‘Purple Rain’ will
have its bloom time greatly prolonged
with deadheading. Plants may require
cutting back to basal growth after
flowering to promote fresh growth and
rebloom. Cut plants back if infected
with powdery mildew.Sanguisorba obtusa
Japanese burnet
r oSaceaeReddish-pink fluffy flowers; gray-green
divided leaves
3–4 ft. (2 ft.) high; 2–3 ft. wide
Full sun
Blooms July–August
Zones 4–8
pruning Deadhead after flowering toenjoy the attractive blue-green leaves.
The outer leaves often decline by late
summer, particularly with dry
conditions; deadleaf or shear foliage
down to fresh lower growth. Foliage
crisps with autumn frost. Cut plants
down for the winter, or leave up and
prune back in the early spring.
other maintenance Burnet isn’t
an overly exciting garden perennial,
but the foliage effect is different. It is a
tough, low-maintenance plant. Avoid
dry conditions, or leaf scorching will
occur. Plants can be subject to
Japanese beetle attacks. Divide clumps
every 4–5 years in the spring.
related plantS Sanguisorba
officinalis, greater burnet (zones 3–8),
has maroon flower heads on 3–4 ft.
stems. Plant it in full sun in the North,
but give it afternoon shade in hotter
climates. In exposed sites it may need
the support of ornamental grasses or
other plants to help keep it upright
during its bloom period in midsum-
mer. The seedheads have ornamental
interest in fall, but be careful not to let
too many seeds drop, because greater
burnet can become an overenthusias-
tic reseeder.
Sanguisorba tenuifolia ‘Purpurea’
(zones 4–7) should be also deadheaded
to prevent heavy seeding.Santolina
chamaecyparissus
lavender cotton
compoSitaeBright yellow buttonlike flower heads; tiny
gray leaves
18 in. high; 18–24 in. wide
Full sun
Blooms July–August
Zones 6–8
pruning Plants should be sheared
and shaped as needed in the spring. In
most years shearing off the dead tips
after the plant breaks bud is all that is
necessary. A hard spring shearing to
6–8 in. every 2–3 years is usually
beneficial to prevent the plants from
becoming leggy. The flowers are
enjoyed by some and considered aSanguisorba obtusa