This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.
"Sensational deep-purple flowers borne on black stems - a must among silvers - and a new star of the sunny border"
A good plant for a sunny border. They are a bit difficult to get going in a wet spring as the slugs like to eat the leaves, sometimes killing plants entirely, but otherwise a pretty and easy to grow plant.
Wildlife gardener
Oxfordshire
Caradonna is particularly pretty in combination with pale blue catmint and delphiniums. It doesn't repeat as well as Mainacht but it flowers abundantly and for a reasonably long time. The deep rich purple compliments the cool blues, reds and pinks of other salvias and roses but it works with contrast colours too, especially orange. Easy and trouble free and very popular with bees of all kinds.
SL
London
Love this plant it flowers for a long period in the summer and looks great planted with my Geum totally tangerie love the contrast of the rich blue and orange of the Geum. Its also buzzing with bees when its in full flower. Flowered well even in its first year after planting.
Stevie D
Dover, Kent
Got 3 of these last year in 9cm pots and they've been fantastic. Very healthy plants, which grew to a mature size in no time and were flowering all summer long and into frost. Very attractive to need.
VK
Huddersfield
Marvellous, strong blue that doesnt get too high so no staking required. Hardy and seemingly rabbit proof
Harriet
Berkshire
These plants arrived healthy and quite small and grew to a surprisingly healthy size. I dead headed regularly and they lasted all summer into the autumn The bees loved them. I planted them with Astrantia Roma which worked well.
Fair weather gardener
Oxford
These plants are great for bees and butterflies
Jan1
Bexley
recently had my garden redesigned. Healthy plants which always come well packed.
Lynxsy
Newcastle upon tyne
I grow it in a rose border (Ivar's Rose, very strong pink) with Salvia Mainacht and Erysimum Bowls Mauve with drifts of pale blue nigella in front of it. I cut it by the third after flowering and I get a smaller second flush when dahlias start to flower. Very easy to maintain. Pollinators love it.
SL
London
I potted up my plants on arrival and then again as I could not do the autumn planting I had hoped for. They have thrived over the winter and are looking great to plant this spring in a border where I have had a tree removed. They will give great colour there for quite a long period.
mel
emsworth
100.0
Val
Hello, If none of the stems are damaged, then I suspect this is because the plant only gets the sun from one direction and it is growing towards it.
Helen
sdb
Hello there It could be over watering or under watering it is hard to say, but 5" pots are not very big. I would plant them up into larger containers and then keep the soil moist. Plants in pots will dry out fast particularly with this hot weather we are having. Hope this helps.
sansan
Hello, These plants are fully hardy, so I would advise planting them straight out in the garden now. Just keep an eye out for slugs and snails next year when the new foliage is emerging!
helen
giles
Hello, I'm sorry for any confusion. The eventual height of these wonderful perennials can vary as it can range from between 30 - 60cm in height (I think the 75cm quoted below is a slight exaggeration).
helen
jackie middleton
Hello Jackie, Salvia nemorosa Caradonna probably has the longest flowering period, but it does get to 75cm tall - just click on the following lin to go straight to it. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/salvia-nemorosa-caradonna/classid.2000006629/ If that is too tall, then Saliva nemorosa Ostfriesland may be a better option http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/salvia-nemorosa-ostfriesland/classid.3545/ I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
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