Salvia x jamensis 'Belle De Loire'

In general I'm a big fan of Salvias, but this variety 'Belle de Loire' is one of my top favourites for its beautiful pastel bicoloured flowers, which change in tone as the season temperature changes. 

- With a long flowering period, starting in late June and continuing until the first frost, the prettiest bicoloured peachy yellow streaked with orange flowers are produced in abundance. As the summer progresses into the cooler autumn months, the colour too changes to cream streaked with salmon pink. Flowers consistently throughout the season, covering the plant in a mass of colour. It will benefit from a quick mid-season deadheading in July to keep fresh flowers steadily coming.

- The highly aromatic green foliage is semi-evergreen, and so can retain some winter interest while providing some frost protection for the plant over any freezing temperatures.  

- Thrives best in full sun, free-draining soil, sheltered from strong exposed winds. A fantastic plant for coastal and Mediterranean-style gardens, cottage gardens, mixed borders, raised beds, and in prairie-style planting. It's also perfect for keeping in pots long-term, making it an ideal balcony or patio plant where the flowers and scent can be admired. 

- These are a magnet for pollinators, and will be buzzing with bees, hoverflies, butterflies and more, all season long!

- Plants can remain in their shrubby form, but it is better to pruned back hard in spring to keep stems young with fresh new growth that will flower more prolifically. Sometimes can be susceptible to very cold winter frosts, so protection may be needed (perhaps below -5C or so). 

- Height and Spread approx. 60-90cm x 60-90cm. 

- Supplied in a 9cm pot