Family Lamiaceae
Garden Origin.
- Lush green, aromatic, herbaceous foliage forms low, compact mounds.
- Rich-blue, pollinator-attracting flowers bloom in profusion all summer into autumn.
- Easy to grow, it thrives in well-drained, non-acidic soil in full sun or light shade.
Blue Marvel in Your Garden
Mounds of rich-blue spires dazzle gardeners and pollinators alike for many months, from summer into autumn. Salvia x sylvestris ‘Blue Marvel’ has a compact, low-growing habit, which is particularly effective when planted Mediterranean-style drifts.
Hardy in all UK gardens, this easy-to-grow perennial reaches 50cm high and wide in 2–5 years. Blooming most profusely in full sun, it thrives in Suffolk’s coastal Mediterranean-style gardens. Additionally, it suits most garden styles, including traditional English borders, and pot culture for placement in Norfolk’s patio displays.
One of the most rewarding all-summer blooming blue perennials, it has shorter, more substantial spikes than many salvias. Each one bears multitudes of individual blooms, opening in succession over a long flowering season. They emerge from dusky purple bracts, crowning its compact foliage with various hues. The essential oil-laden leaves release a fragrant burst when brushed past, adding a sensory delight alongside paths or around patios.
Growing Tips for Your Wood Sage Blue Marvel
- Soil and Sun: Plant in well-drained, non-acidic soil. Part shade is tolerated, but it blooms most profusely in full sun.
- Planting: Set in spring or autumn; summer planting needs extra watering. Plunge for 20 minutes to drench the root ball before planting.
- Watering: Moderate; tolerates drought once rooted, water sparingly.
- Pruning: None required. Pinch out spent flower spikes during the season.
A great choice for waterwise gardeners, this all-summer blooming blue perennial is drought-tolerant once established. It also makes a valuable contribution to wildlife-friendly planting schemes. Butterflies and bees, in particular, would thank you if they could for planting it.
Planting Ideas for Salvia x sylvestris Blue Marvel
Blue Marvel’s flower spikes have a rich intensity due to their various hues of blue and dusky purple. Planted in drifts, their compact form creates a deep, luxuriously colourful backdrop under the silver-leaved crowns of ancient olive trees. Their azure mounds ebb and flow around the gnarled trunks of Olea ‘Hojiblanca’, ‘Arbequina’, and ‘Manzanillo’, shining in light shade.
Dasylirion wheeleri, Agaves beauleriana, ‘Red Edge’, and macroacantha are thrown into sharp contrast amongst its undulating form and dark hues. Their silvery tones pop amongst them, whether planted in the ground or in pots. Add them to patio displays of Mangave ‘Pineapple Express’, Agave shidigera, and geminiflora, and Billbergia nutans ‘Variegata’ for dramatic contrast.
