Anyone seen this before?

It might be a salvia Hot Lips! ?

Wow, gq! That was quick! I would never have thought it was a salvia. Thank you! My niece found it growing through a fence and thought if she could find out what it was she would buy one for her garden. She'll be delighted!

Yes, I've got that in my garden. It's a Sylvia and is really lovely. I paid about £5 for quite a small plant and it's really taken hold in quite a short space of time. I hope it over winters ok!

Salvia not Sylvia!

Whatever you do, please Google it as Salvia hot lips. Otherwise some strange stuff is likely to appear! ?

Yes. I agree it's salvia Hot Lips. There are some lovely salvia varieties. My favourites are the aubergine coloured 'Nachtvlinder' and 'Trelawny Cream' which looks stunning when planted against bronze coloured foliage.

I love salvias.

Do they overwinter Merlotgran ? I've never grown them before but I've been really pleased with this one and would like to keep it.

I'm jealous. I have bought two small plants, supposedly of the Hot Lips variety, but they both turned out to be pinky/red. They are very pretty though.

My DH would know I will ask him later

Previous Salvias I have grown have been stripped by slugs and snails, so I hope you will not have the same problem.

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I was always under the impression that this, growing in my garden, was a salvia. I didn't plant it. Now I'm not so sure. It has been particularly nice this year.

Salvias (sages) are very hardy here. We have some salvia grahamii (second son is Graham which are bushes now. I think they like clay-type soil.

Yes they should overwinter, Chewbacca so long as you don't cut back any foliage until spring. The top growth protects the plant and if you live in an area that experiences severe frosts it's a good idea to cover the base of the plant with straw or mulch although I haven't had to do that yet.

You can cut the old growth in spring back to where you can see the new leaves appearing.

They're pretty tough really.

There are lots of lovely salvias....we bought quite a few from a nice little company called Hayloft....trouble is they just do not like our garden....the salvias that is!