Pastels
Pastels

Bold colors come to mind for many gardeners when thinking of Salvias. Yet many species in the genus flower in soft and soothing pastels, including solids and bicolors.

If French impressionist painter Claude Monet -- known for hazy pastels of his gardens at Giverny -- were alive and gardening today, he might sigh over the increasingly lavish palette of pastels among Salvias. At Flowers by the Sea, we offer a broad array. These choices include:

  • Lavenders, pale blues, roses and yellows of native species from California, Texas and the Southwest that are hummingbird magnets.
  • Pale pinks and lavenders of European Culinary Sages
  • Elaborate, confection-like combinations of blossoms and bracts among the Turkish Sages
  • Jame Sage hybrids ( Salvia x jamensis spp.), such as the many pastels in the new Flowers by the Sea series of Elk Rainbow Sages and
  • Exotic, rusty roses and dusky blues from South Africa.

From peachy, water-loving annuals that are perfect for USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 11 in Florida to drought-resistant, chilly blues that can withstand Zone 5 winters, we have attractive pastels for many climates and types of gardens.

You'll find a wide range of sizes from short groundcovers that spread mightily to tall shrubs ideal for accenting entryways.

If you would appreciate help in searching our catalog, please feel free to call or write to us. We want to help you feel the same way that Monet did about his garden being his “most beautiful masterpiece.”

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(Gayle Nielson Hybrid Sage) Whorl-like clusters of violet-blue flowers on slender stems as well as its height and width indicate that Gayle Nielson Hybrid Sage is related to some form of Salvia clevelandii.

(Majestic Pink Sage) Very large richly colored hot pink blossoms and broad, glossy, intricately textured leaves are part of what makes Salvia x 'Majestic Pink' a standout. This is a complex hybrid involving several Salvia species from the ongoing breeding program at FBTS.

(Mellow Yellow Sage) Yellow-flowering Salvias always command attention in the garden.   An intentional hybrid between the very rare and difficult to grow Salvia bulleyana and the energetic Salvia campanulata, this plant embodies the best characteristics of each parent.

(Penny's Smile Hybrid Sage) British Salvia aficionado Robin Middleton, of the indispensable Robin’s Salvias website, developed this lovely and hardy hybrid from a chance seedling he found near the Salvia ‘Silke’s Dream’ in his garden. Heavily textured and hot pink, the 1-inch-long flowers are bright as lipstick.

(Phyllis' Fancy Sage) The parentage of this lavender-flowered hybrid sage is unknown. However, it may be a cross between Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) and Chiapas Sage (S. chiapensis).

(Purple Stem Sage) Deep purple stems and cobalt blue flowers with pronounced white beelines and dusky gray calyxes cause this sage to command attention.

(Waverly Sage) A pale pink to lavender blush adds delicate color to the white flowers of Waverly Sage, which are supported by plum-colored calyxes. Its mid-green leaves are lance shaped and veined.

(Caviar Hybrid Jame Sage) Rosy green calyxes support the long-blooming, creamy salmon-pink flowers of this Jame Sage. It creates lots of buzz among honeybees and hummingbirds seeking its rich nectar and pollen. Caviar is a hybrid of Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) and Mountain Sage (Salvia microphylla).

(Dyson's Orangy Pink Hybrid Jame Sage) Many Salvia x jamensis hybrids remind gardeners of sunrise, such as Dyson's Orangy Pink. Light green calyxes faintly striped with red cup its luminous pale salmon pink blossoms with creamy throats.

(Full Moon Hybrid Jame Sage) The luminescent, bicolor pastels of many Salvia x jamensis are difficult to capture in photos, but easy to appreciate when viewed up close. Full Moon is a compact, long-flowering Jame Sage that has pale, creamy yellow blossoms with a touch of rose that are cupped by dark green calyxes.
(Pink Pearl Jame Sage) Luminescent pink blossoms set against dark stems and calyxes give Salvia x jamensis 'Pink Pearl' an ethereal beauty. Long, lax branches make it an ideal choice for hanging baskets or tall containers.

(Shell Dancer Sage) So many sages combine resilience and loveliness. This includes Salvia 'Shell Dancer', which withstands heat and drought yet has delicate looking blossoms and lush green foliage.

(Tangerine Ballet Hybrid Jame Sage) Soft pinkish-orange flowers with contrasting yellow eyes make this Jame Sage look as tasty as sorbet. Hardy to at least 10 degrees F, Tangerine Ballet is also heat tolerant, drought resistant and long blooming-- all marks of Salvias in the closely related Autumn and Mountain Sage group.

(Yellow Pink Hybrid Jame Sage) Dusty pink with pale yellow throats, the bicolor pastels of this Salvia x jamensis are especially charming up close. 'Yellow Pink' is a compact sage with tiny, smooth foliage.

(Yunnan Sage or yun nan shu wei cao) Yunnan Sage's tall spikes of violet-to-purple flowers bloom from summer into fall. Native to Southwestern China's provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan, it grows on shady, grassy hillsides and along forest margins at elevations up to 9,500 feet.

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