Salvia 'May Night'

Salvia 'May Night': Indigo Spikes That Make Pastels Pop

'May Night' is the friend who swears it's only staying out for one drink, then closes the bar. Deep indigo spikes, full sun, and a guest list of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. CLOSING TIME IS A MYTH.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Salvia × sylvestris 'Mainacht'
• Common Name: Meadow Sage
• Height: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Flowers: Deep indigo-violet, on dense upright spikes
• Bloom Time: Late spring to midsummer (June to July), with rebloom when deadheaded
• Foliage: Green, aromatic, forming a rounded clump
• Features: Perennial Plant of the Year 1997, RHS Award of Garden Merit, good cut flower

Where to Plant: Use it in the front to middle of a sunny border, in drifts along a walkway or as a repeating thread of dark colour through a pollinator planting.

Companion Plants: Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' makes a tall yellow backdrop at 150 to 210 cm, blooming from July to September after the sage's main flush. Papaver 'Beauty of Livermere' opens red flowers in late spring and early summer, a bold match for the deep violet spikes. Run Cerastium 'Silver Carpet' along the edge for a low sheet of white in May and June. Give the whole group full sun and good drainage.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average, well-drained soil. It tolerates heat and dry spells once established, but blooms best with an occasional deep watering in drought. Avoid spots that stay wet in winter, especially in heavy clay. When the first flowers fade, cut the spikes back to the leafy base to get a second round. Cut the plant down in late fall or early spring. Divide clumps in early spring every few years, before new growth starts. Divisions can be slow to re-establish, so keep them watered through their first summer.

History: 'Mainacht', German for “May Night,” was introduced in Germany in 1956 as a hybrid of woodland sage (Salvia nemorosa) and meadow clary (Salvia pratensis). It was popular in Europe for decades before North American nurseries caught on, and was named Perennial Plant of the Year for 1997.

Final Thoughts: The deer take one sniff and walk away. Shear it after the first show and it comes back for round two. PLANT IT AND LET THE NIGHT SHIFT BEGIN.