Salvia transylvanica

Salvia transylvanica is a hardy perennial bush that is native to Romania and Russia. Sadly, this beautiful plant is underused in gardens. It boasts a long summer flowering period of intense blue-violet blooms. It is easy to grow in well-drained and sunny soils. This wild plant is both charming and robust. It can be combined in beds and borders with all kinds of plants, bringing colour, texture, and dynamism to countryside or romantic-inspired settings.

Salvia transylvanica belongs to the Lamiaceae family, like all other salvias. It is a perennial with an upright habit, reaching a height of 60 to 80cm (24 to 32in) and spreading up to 45cm (18in). It first forms a dark green rosette of large leaves that persist in winter. The leaves have a somewhat wrinkled appearance and are slightly aromatic when crushed. The plant spreads laterally over time and can occupy up to one square metre of ground. Flowering begins in May-June, depending on the climate, and continues until the onset of autumn if faded flowers are regularly removed. Sturdy stems measuring 60cm (24in) in height emerge from the rosette, densely covered with bilabiate flowers in their upper part. These flowers, measuring 2cm (1in) in length, are vividly coloured in bright blue-violet and enclosed in purple-violet bracts. They are arranged in pairs along the stem. The nectar-rich flowering is attractive to bees and nourishes many pollinating insects. The seeds readily self-sow in well-drained and light soil. Once well-established, this sage tolerates dry summers quite well, but flowering will decrease until the return of late summer rains.

Transylvanian sage is a long-lasting plant, ideal for sunny flower beds or in the foreground of borders. Its blue flowers blend well with the intense pink of Salvia microphylla flowers, which are at their most beautiful in September. It looks wonderful with asters, grey foliage (Artemisia 'Powis Castle', Senecio viravira), yellow and orange daylilies, mullein, or Verbascum bombyciferum 'Silver Lining'. Its flower spikes will lighten the double corollas of white, yellow, pink, or orange roses.