Salvia Species, Transylvanian Sage

This is my second year to grow what we call "vampire sage" (from its name--not from any sinister habits). I purchased the plant last yea...Read Morer from High Country Gardens, divided it this year, and have many blooms on both plants. (It needs plenty of room. Mine now needs moving--not just dividing again.) I love the color of the blooms, and I don't mind the "coarse" leaves, since my garden is a pretty informal "cottage" garden--which is just a way of saying "I grow everything I can in my small yard, with little regard for design."

Grew this for several seasons; my thriving colony was wiped out two years ago when my sheep spent a few days in the garden while we were...Read More away. Haven't even had any seedlings since, either. Annoying.

I originally grew this one from Thompson & Morgan seed; not nearly as floriferous (if that's a word!) or "blue" as the catalogue photos, but still was very nice for continuous bloom mid-summer right past first few frosts. Really appreciated this in the autumn when the garden was in decline.

Not outstandingly showy, but pleasant in mid-border. Knee-high-ish.

Will definitely grow this again. Seed was easy to start; seedlings vigorous and trouble-free. Overwintered just fine here for 3 (maybe 4?) seasons; there were always a few seedlings showing up as well.

Ordered 3 tiny little pots of this salvia last year and was absolutely charmed. How to describe the color? It's somehow "clearer" than ...Read Moreyour average salvia. Beautiful with a bouquet of sunflowers and purple basil. The plants were maintenance-free and bloomed freely.....I think the only thing I did is cut them back a bit in the beginning of August. I think the only possible detriment is that the plants were a bit coarse-textured for most modern landscapes. For a midwest cottage garden, however, I'd highly reccomend this species. Our dog's been sleeping on the bed where the salvia's located all winter, so I doubt they'll come up again this Spring, but even if they don't, I'm super satisfied by last year's show.