Salvia 'Lilac Lipstick'

Upright, bushy and dressed for a long summer performance, Salvia 'Lilac Lipstick' is a sage with polish, poise and a rather irresistible colour palette. Part of the Fashionista Series, it has been bred for strong garden presence, producing large, vibrant lilac-purple flowers carried on sturdy stems above aromatic green foliage. The lighter lower lips give each bloom a bright, expressive finish, adding definition without softening the overall drama. In sunny borders, Salvia 'Lilac Lipstick' brings vertical structure and months of continuous colour, slipping beautifully between ornamental grasses, silver-leaved perennials and richly toned summer flowers. It is lively, but never loud.

For containers, Salvia 'Lilac Lipstick' is just as rewarding, giving patios and balconies height, movement and a steady succession of flowers from early summer onwards. Choose a warm, sheltered spot with well-drained soil, and this perennial sage will settle in with admirable ease. Pollinators are quick to find it, while gardeners can appreciate its tidy habit and generous flowering from a comfortable chair, preferably with tea. Deadheading will help keep Salvia 'Lilac Lipstick' looking fresh and productive, though it is pleasingly undemanding once established. Elegant, colourful and lightly theatrical, Salvia 'Lilac Lipstick' is made for sunny planting schemes that enjoy a little flourish.