Salvia Horminum

This annual Salvia is sometimes known in seed catalogues as annual Clary Sage, which is a pity as it is nothing like the Clary Sage that I grow. There are three colours - white, pink and deep blue.

 A beautiful colour for autumn,
Blue Annual Salvias

These were some of the very first seeds that I grew so easily and transplanted without a single failure. A gardener should always treasure those first successes. A friend had the three colours growing in her garden and I'd always admired them.

 Always admired by garden visitors.
Blue Annual Salvia

I always collect the seed from the blue variety, and I always get a mixture the following year. Two years ago I found separate colours in my seed catalogue, with the name Salvia Horminum, and the promise that these were a new improved strain. Finally I had seedlings that I knew would be my favourite, blue.

 One of the nicest salvias to grow.
Blue Salvia Bract

This salvia is really useful in that it flowers faithfully no matter when the seed has been sown. I have it flowering throughout winter in sheltered places. It also self seeds freely, giving me many plants which I can later transplant. The flowers are like coloured leaves, and have a veined texture which is highlighted in the sun. I love it.

These salvias are great for picking. The flowers dry naturally without losing their rich blue colour.
blue bracts of annual salvia horminum