Salvia pratensis

‘Rose Rhapsody’

ROSE RHAPSODY SAGE

Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’
ROSE RHAPSODY SAGE

Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’ bears graceful, plentiful, rose-pink spires of flowers.
The stems of bloom are very showy, and have a long flowering season through summer and autumn.

Long blooming with graceful rose-pink spires

And the clump can be kept in almost constant bloom through the warm months by trimming off spent spires, or harvesting for cut flowers. Cutting encourages even faster re-blooming.
The foliage forms a neat, ground-hugging rosette of broad leaves.
While the flowers stand proud above on elegant, long stems.
So the effect in bloom is very airy, open and transparent, while also being showy.

Scented cut flowers

Both flowers and foliage have a pleasant scent, and the long stemmed flower spikes make good cut flowers.

Easily grown & trouble free

Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’ is easily grown and trouble free.
Because it is very forgiving about conditions, including tolerating heat and humidity particularly well.
As well as being robustly frost hardy down to approx. -20°C

Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’ prefers to be grown in Full Sun, though it can also tolerate Partial Shade well providing it is not damp and is well-aired.
Salvia pratensis is also forgiving about soils and will cope a wide range, from acid to alkaline lime based soils.
However it grows to perfection in any well drained soil with some extra compost and mulch added.

Bees & birds adore while rabbits & deer do not

Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’  is rarely if ever troubled by pests and diseases.
Even rabbits and deer do not find it palatable because of the volatile oils in the aromatic foliage.
However native honey-eater birds, bees and other friendly pollinator insects adore the flowers. Because the blooms provide such a long blooming season of nutritious nectar.

Low maintenance

Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’ forms an evergreen, hardy perennial clump.
It is a very long lived, permanent plant.
75cm. High in graceful flower spikes x 45cm.
Wide neat rosette of ground-hugging, evergreen, broad foliage.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Sow Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’ seeds in a punnet indoors at any time.

Indoors for quick & early plants: First sow the seeds in a punnet on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then gently pat the seeds to the mix surface, to ensure good contact.
But do not cover the seeds with mix, because these seeds need light for germination.

Now thoroughly moisten the sown punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath.
And allow the moisture to percolate through to the surface of the mix from below.

Then place the punnet in a warm, well -lit position (not in any direct sunlight).
Temperatures of 15°-20°C are best for rapid and optimum germination.
You can use a heat bed if you have one to maintain warmth, but it is not essential.
A warm, sheltered window sill will do nicely.

Continue to keep the mix moist by misting from a spray water bottle.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic lid or bag will also help to maintain consistent moisture.

Seedlings emerge in 14-30 days approx.
Then you can remove the plastic cover to allow air flow.

Grow on until seedlings develop their first set of true leaves, when they are ready to prick out into pots. Grow on until ready to plant in the garden.

Seed Count: 15 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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