Perovskia

Today I'll share the Perovskia, aka, Russian Sage - a much-loved herbaceous perennial.

The Russian Sage is an upright flowering sage that starts blooming in August when most plants have passed their prime and are beginning to look tired. The Russian Sage maintains its brilliant color until frost - which is normally the 3rd week in Nov in our area.

If you haven't cut back your herbaceous perennials (plants that are killed back by frost but resumes new growth the following spring), time is running out. Waiting until the plants show new growth increases the odds of injuring the new, tender shoots.

Normally, my herbaceous perennials are cut back as soon as the frost kills back the top. But this year, for various and sundry reasons, I'm just now getting to that process.

This is another easy to grow, low maintenance plant that I've shared with myriad friends/family. Some as far away as Washington state. It is completely free of any insect or disease problem. Mine are about 10-years-old and the clumps only get thicker each year.

The Russian Sage produces stalks and each stalk has many stems. The tiny flowers literally covers each stem.

Because the plant reaches 4 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide it's a good back of the border plant. It would be gorgeous as a hedge - I think it would probably be prettier than a Lavender hedge - or maybe together? Russian Sage in the back and Lavender in the front, would make a gorgeous hedge from April into November.

Alone, one flower is not showy, but together, they're knockouts! Prior to blooming the grayish color of the leaves blends beautifully with other colors in the garden. The aroma is your normal sagey scent. Two of it's many beauties is that it is a deer deterrentand a hummer attractor.

After the frost hits you have only these nasty looking dead stems.

I remove the dead stems with a hedge trimmer about 3/4ths of the way down the stalk then get down with the pruners and cut to ground level.

It is cold hardy to Zone 9 which covers most of N. GA.