Back in 2020 I wrote about perennial salvias being very hit or miss for me. Yet I was pretty sure I’d finally found a keeper— ‘Sensation Rose’ (Salvia nemorosa):
These plants have lovely lavender-pink flowers and grow 12 to 24 inches tall in a nice clump.
I have one plant growing in the backyard under a serviceberry tree. It gets sun from about 1pm to 6pm on summer days. It’s nestled in an area that is protected from winter winds.
The stems are quite sturdy even though the plant is not getting the full sun conditions it prefers. I do put a line of linking stakes in front of it, just in case any stems were to lean into the path of the lawn mower.
The other plant is growing in the front yard on top of a wall. It’s fully exposed to the north winds in winter, but it gets full sun during summer days.
Both plants have been growing in my yard now for 10 years, and in that time they have survived bitterly-cold winters, flooding rains and drought. I’ve never divided them and they have stayed well-behaved in that nice clump.
‘Sensation Rose’ is said to be deer-resistant. I know it is rabbit resistant because my “gang” of rabbits has never touched these plants. I’ve never had any disease or pest problems with them either.
‘Sensation Rose’ blooms for about 4-5 weeks in late spring and early summer. The plants may rebloom if you cut back the spent flowers. This salvia is hardy in Zones 3-8.