Salvia Delice Feline

Salvia 'Delice Feline' is a shrubby sage with violet flowers highlighted by a white heart, from May to autumn. Its floribundity and small semi-evergreen aromatic leaves make it a precious ally for sunny and warm terraces and gardens. Robust but only moderately hardy, it will need protection in cold regions.

The 'Delice Feline' sage belongs to the large family of Lamiaceae, which offers the gardener many aromatic and ornamental plants (thyme, rosemary, catmint, agastache...). This variety comes from a group of salvias native to the mountains of Central America, which gives them an impressive hardiness of about -10°C (14°F). These salvias are woody: their stems harden and form wood, which can be damaged by severe frost, especially in cold climates. The foliage is semi-evergreen in mild climates, small and ovate, and deliciously aromatic, with hints of mint and lemon. This fragrance is particularly pronounced in hot and dry weather, and the essential oils often make the leaves slightly sticky.
Between May and October (or even later depending on the weather), the 'Delice Feline' sage produces numerous small violet flowers, subtly enhanced with white hearts. The dark, almost black calyces are also very sculptural. It will reach about 70 cm (28in) in height and 80 cm (32in) in width.

The origins of the 'Delice Feline' shrubby sage make it a plant well adapted to sunny, dry, limestone and rocky soils. Only moderately hardy: it will grow without problems in mild and warm climates but will require winter protection if temperatures frequently drop below -10°C - in which case, grow it in a pot and bring it indoors as soon as frost is forecast. If you want to plant it outside in a cold region, remember to offer it a well-protected location sheltered from cold winds. You can also mulch its base, but be careful not to choose a material that retains too much moisture: use a mineral mulch like gravel, as excessive winter moisture would be fatal to it. If the summer is very dry, the 'Delice Feline' sage may occasionally need watering to support its flowering, always taking care not to excessively wet its base. You can prune it back in late winter to make the plant denser but not before the last frosts have passed.

Perfect in rock gardens, dry borders, and pots, this sage will form beautiful combinations with other shrubby salvias such as Salvia 'Amethyst Lips' or 'Nachtvlinder'. You can also place Phlomis tuberosa 'Amazone' nearby, or a ground cover for dry areas like Achillea 'Excel', Acaena 'Kupferteppich', or even wall stonecrop (Sedum acre) at its base for a contrasting scene in early summer.