Salvia Horminum

This annual 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.

blue bracts of annual salvia horminum

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.

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.

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.