Salvia 'Victoria Blue' Seeds 

Salvia farinacea is technically a Half-Hardy Perennial, but in the UK it is almost always grown as a Half-Hardy Annual.

It originates from Texas and Mexico, so it loves heat but cannot survive a wet British winter outdoors.

The Strategy: Sow it early indoors to get maximum flowering time. Treat it as a summer bedding plant. If you have a frost-free greenhouse, you can pot it up and overwinter it, but most gardeners start fresh from seed each year.

Top Tip: This is a "cut-and-come-again" flower. The more spikes you cut for vases (where they last for ages), the more the plant will produce.

This Salvia needs a warm start to perform well.

Germination:
Sow indoors from February to April. Surface sow onto moist compost and do not cover (or use a very fine dusting of vermiculite), as light aids germination. Keep warm (20-24°C). Germination usually takes 10-14 days.

Where to Sow:
It demands full sun. It thrives in light, well-drained soil. It is very drought tolerant once established but will sulk in cold, wet clay.

Care While Growing:
Pinch out the growing tip when seedlings are 10cm tall to encourage bushier growth. Deadhead spent spikes to keep the plant looking tidy. If the plant gets tired in late summer, give it a liquid feed to boost a second flush of blooms for autumn.

The deep blue spikes of 'Victoria' need bright, contrasting partners to really shine:

• 🍯 Rudbeckia 'Marmalade': The classic Blue & Yellow. The golden daisies of Rudbeckia sit at the same height as the Salvia. The contrast between the round gold flowers and the blue spikes creates a vibrant, high-energy display.
• 🎨 Zinnia 'Lilliput Mix': The shape contrast. Zinnias have stiff, round, pompom heads. Growing them mixed with the vertical spikes of Salvia creates a perfect "dots and dashes" texture in a sunny border.

Sow indoors in spring. Plant out in June. Flowers late June to October.