Salvia nemorosa Caradonna Pink - Woodland Sage

The Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna Pink' bears the name of a famous cultivar, Caradonna, given to a bush sage with intense dark purple, highly prized and widely planted in recent years. Now comes the time for a variant with pink flowers. A small, sturdy perennial sage with early flowering, this variety blooms until autumn providing any faded flowers are removed with shears. Its upright and slender spikes appear from May onwards, with dark pink buds that open into multiple miniature flowers in a softer pink, creating a two-tone pink sensation. Dark purple stems give the whole plant a beautiful intensity. This undemanding perennial tolerates drought and brings life to sunny flower beds and containers for almost 6 months.

The Salvia nemorosa is a perennial of the Lamiaceae or Labiate family, and 'Caradonna Pink' is one of its many cultivars. Its adult size does not exceed 50, or even 55 cm in height when in bloom, with foliage reaching 40 cm (16in), and a width of 30 cm (12in). This perennial develops from a prostrate rosette of oval, rough, embossed, very dark green, toothed, aromatic leaves. It has a bushy, compact, heavily branched and sturdy habit. Flowering begins in May and continues until August. It slows down during the height of summer when the soil is dry, then resumes in September if it has been pruned after the first wave of flowers. From the foliage tuft, slender terminal clusters of numerous small flowers (0.5 to 1 cm (0in)) in a soft pink, with bracts of dark purple, emerge on stems. The beautiful nectar-rich flower spikes are a delight for butterflies and bees.

The 'Caradonna Pink' sage is an excellent choice for ornamental terraces and balconies, as well as a preferred host for low-maintenance flower beds. Easy to grow, this plant is also one of the hardiest sages, and therefore a fantastic garden perennial that will not disappoint. It withstands everything, wind, cold, heat, and poor soils. It looks stunning alongside roses. It pairs perfectly with grey foliage of mugworts in dry soil or purple foliage, such as that of Physocarpus opulifolius Lady in Red in moister soil, or even with the anise green foliage of Lady's mantle. It also pairs well with light pink flowering plants, both tonal and contrasting with its intensity, such as pink vervain hastata, which towers over it, arbustive Barnsley mallow, or Penstemon digitalis Dakota Burgundy. 

With over 900 species of annuals, perennials, and softwood shrubs spread all over the globe, except in very cold regions and tropical forests, the genus Salvia is the richest in the Lamiaceae family. The name Salvia, which dates back to Roman times, derives from the Latin word salvus 'healthy' in reference to the medicinal properties of common sage.