How to grow salvias

Salvias are a popular favourite, also known as ornamental sage. Sending up structural spikes of jewel-coloured blooms, these long-flowering plants are available as annuals, perennials and sub-shrubs. Especially good in sunny cottage garden borders and dry Mediterranean style planting schemes, there’s a colour and variety to suit every outside space.

Browse our collection of salvia plants to fill your pots and borders.

What is a salvia?

Salvias belong to a diverse and fast-growing group of plants that flower from summer until early autumn. Easy to grow and available in a wonderful variety of intense colours, there are four main types from which to choose:

Annual salvias are grown as vibrant bedding plants for summer colour. Examples include Salvia farinacea and Salvia splendens.
Hardy perennial salvias like Salvia nemorosa come back year after year.
Tender perennial salvias are not completely hardy, but will return the following year if protected in a frost-free greenhouse over winter.
Shrubby salvias like Salvia microphylla are subshrubs with woody stems. In most parts of the UK, these are reliably hardy provided they enjoy a sheltered spot in free draining soil with protection from excessive winter wet.

Where to plant salvias

Salvia ‘Amethyst Lips’ has striking petals and blackcurrant scented foliage
Image: Salvia ‘Amethyst Lips’ from Suttons

Salvias generally thrive in a sunny spot, with at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. They prefer well-drained soil, and hate the wet. If your soil gets waterlogged, salvias can succumb to root rot. Choose a sheltered position away from cold winds and severe frost.

You can grow salvias in beds, borders and patio containers. If you choose tender varieties, growing them in pots is a good option as it’s easier to move them under cover when the temperature drops. Containers are also a good idea if you garden on clay, as you can provide the well-drained conditions they prefer.

How to sow salvia seeds

‘Blaze of Fire’ has intense red flower spikes
Image: Salvia splendens ‘Blaze of Fire’ seeds from Suttons

The best time to start sowing salvia seeds indoors is March, which gives the seedlings plenty of time to grow into sturdy young plants before the last frost. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Fill trays or small pots with a good quality, well-draining seed compost.
Lightly firm and then scatter the tiny seeds thinly across the surface, as some salvia varieties require light to germinate.
Don’t cover the seeds with a thick layer of compost; a light dusting of vermiculite helps to retain moisture without blocking light.
After sowing, water from underneath by placing the tray in a shallow container of water until the compost is moist.
Place the tray on a bright windowsill or in a heated propagator, as salvias germinate best with warmth.
Germination can take anything from a week to a month, so be patient.
Once the seedlings have their first set of “true” leaves, carefully prick them out and pot them on into individual pots.
Before planting them out in late May or early June, remember to harden them off for a week or two.

When to plant salvias

Salvia argentea ‘Artemis’ is an elegant perennial that has lush, silvery-white foliage
Image: Salvia argentea ‘Artemis’ from Suttons

Provided they’re well hardened-off, you can usually plant your salvias out in spring after the last frost. Hardy salvias can be planted out from late April, whilst tender varieties are best planted in late May or early June. This gives the plants the best chance to establish themselves in the warmer soil and avoid any late spring chills.

All salvias are best planted in the spring, although hardy salvias can be planted in early autumn in mild, sheltered areas.

How to care for your salvias

Salvia nemorosa ‘Marcus’ has deep indigo flower spikes and fragrant leaves
Image: Salvia nemorosa ‘Marcus’ from Suttons

While many salvias are drought-tolerant once established, they benefit from regular watering during their first season. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings to prevent root rot. During prolonged dry spells they will appreciate an occasional deep soak, and those grown in containers will always require more frequent watering as their compost dries out more quickly.

For a continuous display of flowers, deadheading your annual bedding salvias is essential. Simply remove the faded flower spikes by cutting them back to a pair of healthy leaves. For herbaceous salvias, cut them back hard in July when the flowers fade and you should get a second flush of flowers later in the summer. Want to rejuvenate shrubby evergreen varieties? Cut back the woody stems at the end of March to just above ground level.

Hardy salvias generally don’t need feeding, as overly rich soil can lead to leggy growth with fewer flowers. A yearly mulch of well-rotted organic matter in spring is sufficient to provide nutrients. Container-grown salvias, on the other hand, benefit from a liquid feed, such as a high-potash tomato feed, every 3-4 weeks during the growing season to support their prolific flowering.

Finally, winter care depends on the specific variety’s hardiness. While many herbaceous salvias are robust enough to survive UK winters, leaving their old stems in place until spring will help to protect the crown. For more tender salvias, it’s crucial to either apply a thick layer of mulch around the base or, for best results, dig them up and overwinter them in a frost-free environment like a greenhouse or cool conservatory.

How to propagate salvias

Highly attractive to pollinators, ‘Caradonna Pink Inspiration’ is also drought-tolerant
Image: Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna Pink Inspiration’ from Suttons

The most reliable technique for propagating most ornamental salvias is by taking cuttings. The best time for this is in late summer, from July to September, when the stems are semi-ripe and the plant is actively growing.

To take a cutting, select a healthy, non-flowering stem and use a sharp, clean knife to cut a section about 5-8cm long, just below a leaf node. Insert the cutting into the edge of a small pot filled with gritty compost, ensuring at least one leaf node is buried. You can add several cuttings to the same pot. Water the pot thoroughly and then cover it with a clear plastic bag or place it in a propagator to create a humid environment, which is crucial for rooting. Place the pot in a bright spot out of direct sunlight. Cuttings should root in a few weeks, and once a good root system has formed, they can be potted on individually. Overwinter these young plants in a frost-free location to protect them from the cold.

6 of the best salvias to grow in your garden

Here are some of our horticultural team’s favourite varieties to grow at home…

1. Salvia nemorosa ‘Salvatore Deep Blue’

Image: Salvia nemorosa ‘Salvatore Deep Blue’ from Suttons

Salvia ‘Salvatore Deep Blue’ is a popular hardy perennial that reaches a height of 40cm and is a favourite for cottage gardens. Its eye-catching flower spikes emerge from low-growing foliage, making it a great choice for the front of borders where it will attract plenty of bees and butterflies.

2. Salvia ‘Hot Lips’

Image: Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ from Suttons

Standing out with colourful flair, Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ is a hardy perennial with stunning bi-colour petals perching atop tall, slender stems. Whether you tuck it into a cottage garden border, a mixed container, or a vibrant bedding scheme, its presence is a guaranteed conversation starter. Reaches a maximum height of 90cm and spread of 60cm.

3. Salvia ‘Melba Magic™ ‘Peach’

Image: Salvia ‘Melba Magic™ ‘Peach’ from Suttons

Playful and pretty, Salvia ‘Melba Magic™ ‘Peach’ is a delight in any garden. With a charming mix of peachy lips and raspberry-pink tips, its blooms are a sweet treat that butterflies and bees simply can’t resist. This hard-working perennial is known for its tireless performance, pumping out flowers from May until October. Its soft pastel colours fit perfectly at the front of a garden border or brighten up patio containers. Once it’s settled in, ‘Peach Melba’ reaches a height of 45cm and is a low-maintenance superstar.

4. Salvia ‘Purple Fairy Tale’

Image: Salvia ‘Purple Fairy Tale’ Seeds from Suttons

Salvia ‘Purple Fairy Tale’ brings a touch of magic to the garden with stunning spires of deep purple-blue blooms that reach 60cm tall and last all summer long. Its whorls of flowers are a feast for the eyes and a favourite for pollinators. Whether you’re planting it in a container or a border, it’s a perfect fit for a front or middle position, where you can admire its intense colour. The flower stems are also fantastic for cutting, allowing you to bring a little bit of its fairy tale charm indoors.

5. Salvia patens ‘Blue Angel’

Growing to 60cm tall, Salvia patens ‘Blue Angel’ delivers vivid cobalt-blue blooms. This half-hardy perennial forms neat clumps of fresh, mid-green foliage, making it a fantastic fit for both borders and patio containers where its brilliant colour can really shine. These plants retreat into underground tubers for winter but with a little shelter and protection, they’ll return with the same incredible energy year after year.

6. Salvia pratensis ‘Madeline’

Brimming with sophisticated charm, Salvia pratensis ‘Madeline’ was bred by renowned garden designer Piet Oudolf. Its striking blooms feature a cool violet-blue hood and a white lip subtly edged in the same beautiful blue. A generous bloomer, ‘Madeline’ provides a continuous show from June through September. Just deadhead and feed it after its first big flush of flowers, and it will reward you with even more blooms. This hardy, drought-tolerant beauty thrives in a sunny spot with good drainage, where it pairs perfectly with grasses and other prairie perennials for a naturally stunning look. Reaches 70cm tall.

There’s a salvia to suit every garden, from bright annuals that liven up a single summer to hardy perennials that continue to perform year after year. See our Flower Growing Guides for more advice on how to fill your garden with colour, texture and scent.

Lead image: Salvia nemorosa ‘Blue Marvel’ from Suttons