Perovskia 'Denim 'n Lace'

Perovskia 'Denim 'n Lace': Sky Blue Lace on Salty Boulevards

Sky-blue flowers set in amethyst calyxes over silvery foliage. 'Denim 'n Lace' is the outfit that works at a barn wedding AND a gallery opening. DRESS CODE: NAILED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Perovskia atriplicifolia (now often listed as Salvia yangii)
• Common Name: Russian Sage
• Series: A Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 70–80 cm (28–32 in)
• Spread: 85–95 cm (34–38 in)
• Flowers: Bright sky blue, held in close-set amethyst calyxes
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to mid-fall (July to October)
• Foliage: Fragrant, silvery grey-green
• Features: Salt tolerant, fragrant, seed heads for winter interest

Where to Plant: Use it in the middle of a sunny border, massed along a driveway, or in a gravel or dry garden. It handles road salt, so boulevard beds are fair game, and the stems dry well for arrangements.

Companion Plants: Give 'Denim 'n Lace' a sunny, dry bed with deep violet lavender, giant allium and hot pink sedum. Sedum SunSparkler® 'Firecracker' edges the front at 15 cm with hot pink flowers in August and September. Lavandula 'Hidcote Blue' adds deep violet spikes at 30 to 45 cm from June to August. Allium giganteum towers at 90 to 150 cm with purple globes in May and June. Festuca Beyond Blue™ adds intense blue tufts at 23 to 30 cm.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average, well-drained soil. Skip the fertilizer. Avoid low spots and wet clay, because soggy winter soil is the most common cause of loss. Water through the first season, then only during long dry spells. Leave the stems standing for winter interest. In early spring, once new growth starts low on the stems, cut them back to about 15 cm (6 in). It rarely needs dividing.

History: 'Denim 'n Lace' was bred by Kevin Hurd at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, from seed of the Russian sage 'Lisslitt', and was selected in 2012. It was the 2020 Proven Winners National Perennial of the Year® and a Top Performer in trials at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Michigan State University.

Final Thoughts: Blooms well into fall, then leaves seed heads standing for winter. Deer and salt don't faze it. NEVER OUT OF STYLE.