A love of salvias

Growing up, salvias meant those garish red bedding plants (Salvia splendens) but decades later I have come to love this genus of flowers for its versatility, colour and pollinator benefits.

There are almost 1000 species in the Salvia genus, which is part of the sage (Lamiaceae) family. They are characterised by square stems, opposite leaves on the stem and many have a strong smell when their leaves are crushed. They range from shrubs and perennials to tender annuals and versatile herbs, such as sage (Salvia officinalis) and rosemary, which I must remember is now Salvia rosmarinus and not Rosmarinus officinalis. [It is so difficult to relearn names that you memorised decades ago - the old names just pop out!]