Salvia nemorosa Sensation Deep Blue - Woodland Sage

The Salvia nemorosa 'Sensation Deep Blue' is part of a series of hybrid wood salvias from the Sensation series which are characterized by a particularly compact habit and excellent floribundity. Its melliferous flowers of deep violet-blue are gathered in very dense spikes, above an aromatic green foliage that rustles when touched. This easy and generous perennial excels at the front of borders, even in windy gardens, and in fairly dry soils in summer. It is also one of the hardiest salvias, and as such, a fantastic garden perennial that will not disappoint.

The Salvia nemorosa 'Sensation Deep Blue' is a perennial of the lamiaceae or labiate family. The type species is native to central Europe and western Asia. 'Sensation Deep Blue' is one of its many horticultural cultivars. Its mature size will not exceed 30-35 cm (12-14in) in height and 35-40 cm (14-16in) in width. This perennial develops from a prostrate rosette of ovate, rough, dark green leaves with dentate margins. It has a bushy, highly branched, and sturdy growing habit. Flowering occurs from June to September, in successive waves if faded flower spikes are removed. It takes the form of terminal clusters composed of numerous small flowers (0.5 to 1 cm (0in)) of a fairly deep mauve-blue with purple bracts. The beautiful compact spikes with nectar-rich flowers delight butterflies. The base of the stems is often reddish.

This 'Sensation Deep Blue' wood sage has the advantage of flowering multiple times in summer if its faded flowers are pruned. It withstands everything, even wind, cold, heat, and poor soils. It will look stunning with white-flowered plants such as Chamaemelum nobile 'Plenum', a 'Rouge Cascade' ground cover rose for a strong contrast, or with snow-in-summer. It also pairs well with pink-flowered plants such as 'Icing Sugar' shrubby sage or 'Evelyn' Penstemon. It is also perfect for creating flowering containers for balconies or terraces.

With over 900 species of annuals, perennials, and woody shrubs, distributed all over the planet except in very cold regions and tropical forests, the genus Salvia is the richest in the lamiaceae family. The name Salvia, dating back to Roman times, derives from the Latin salvus 'healthy' in allusion to the medicinal virtues of common sage.