This reliable, robust, fragrant Himalayan plant has strong square stems holding large spreading panicles of purple-splashed, yellow hooded flowers, an unusual colour for salvias. Both the leaves and the flowers have a distinct minty-lavender perfume and are slightly sticky, hence the name. ... Learn More

The bright green foliage of this famous Central American plant, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala, compliments the mauve spikes of flowers that appear in July and August. The seeds are a highly nutritious food source and contain high amounts of omega-3,6 and 9, and are harvested for use in health recipes and drinks, and were in fact once the third most produced staple food there, until it was condemned by the European invaders in the 1500s and was almost wiped out altogether. The leaves and stems are also popular in sandwiches, soups, salads and stews. The local name Chia com ... Learn More

An annual variety with soft powdery lilac flowers on erect spikes with a distinct arching flower shape, ... Learn More

'Royal Purple Autumn Sage' is one of the smaller leaved salvias that are often referred to as "Autumn Sages", blooming from mid summer until frost with thin dividing stems producing an almost endless succession of bright blue flowers, amongst very strongly-perfumed leaves. Although it superficially appears to be one of the tender salvias, this plant seems to be completely hardy, dying down safely underground each winter, and has stood minus 10 C (14 F) here. Most plants in this group have red, orange or yellow flowers which makes the striking purple flowers of S. muelleri a treasure. This p ... Learn More

"Albino Sage". The rarely seen and very lovely pure white flowered form of common sage. It also has paler milky grey foliage and a slightly dwarfer habit than the normal blue flowered form. ... Learn More

Possibly the easiest and most impressive of all hardy salvias. From large furry rosettes arise superb branching spikes of large pink-bracted blue and white flowers. An unforgettable sight in a warm dry position where other plants will struggle! ... Learn More

This exciting mix of salvia species will give you a variety of forms and colours for your garden. Size and colour of flower will vary from white to blues and reds. Includes salvias listed in this issue and: Salvia amplexicaulis, barrelieri, glutinosa, nemerosa ostfriedland. ... Learn More

A very lovely plant making beautiful rosettes of hairy, silver-grey leaves from which arise in spring, square-section stems, with dividing heads of large pale blue flowers. This rarely-seen plant is very hardy, down to Z5-6 in the USA but demands a dry place in the garden or a large pot in the winter. It is native to eastern Europe and across Western Asia, and ascends the mountains of Turkey up to over 2,000 meters where it is found in company with Pinus brutia, Pinus nigra and Quercus pubescens in macchie, on limestone or igneous slopes. The leaves are still used as a condiment as a strong ... Learn More

Wild Clary has soft purple to violet flowers which grow on many inflorescences that rise above the leaves, and are held in a hairy calyx, with showy green-veined bracts adding to the plant's charm. Wild Clary is a native across much of Europe and North Africa and is strongly aromatic. In cultivation, it prefers full sun, loose soil, good drainage, and regular watering. ... Learn More

Superficially like but much smaller than S. forsskaoleii, this attractive salvia produces short spires of violet blue flowers above neat basal clumps of triangular-ovate leaves. When the inflorescences, which are closely packed in dense globular whorls, fade and fall off, sprays of bright, attractive, violet calyces remain. ... Learn More

This plant, originally from the west coast of the USA bears sprays of small blue and white "snap-dragons" on extended heads of flowers on stems of thick corrugated leaves. ... Learn More

Pink Sundae is an easy to grow, bushy annual that produces beautiful pink flowers with dark visible veins from June to September. Although strictly a biennial, it performs much better as an annual for bedding, floral displays and cut flowers. Also great in dried flower arrangements. ... Learn More

Native to the mountains shared by Israel and Lebanon, this tidy and unusual plant is easy to grow and is also both drought and heat resistant, flowering over a long period. With tall, branched spikes of dusky-pink flowers and strap shaped leaves in a dense rosette, it is perfect for dry borders, dying away completely each winter. Native to a small area of mountains in Lebanon and Israel, this quite rare plant was first described in 1781 by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin, but only began being sold in nurseries in the 1990's! ... Learn More

This shrub or small tree can be found growing wild just about everywhere in Britain, the fragrant, flat topped, cream flower heads appear in May and June followed by the purple-black berries in September. The flowers are used to make the delicately-perfumed elder flower champagne, whilst the berries are used for wine. It used to be said that if you had an elder tree in the garden you had a medicine chest, or even a larder! The pith of the stems is easily pushed out and whistles were made from the hollow stems, the belief being that the sweetest sounding ones were made from trees that grew aw ... Learn More

Seeds collected from the very best cultivars of the dark, narrow leaved forms of the fragrant-flowered elder such as 'Black Lace'. Seedlings will vary, with less than half having dark or very dark foliage, and pink or dark pink flowers. It is very important indeed to remember that many green seedlings will turn darker as the plants mature through the summer in their first year, so do not discard all green-leaved seedlings. ... Learn More