Last year I sowed Clary sage (Salvia sclarea) but was too late in the season to achieve flowering in the first year. However, this variety of salvia is biennial and rather than discard the plants, I potted them up and kept them in a cold frame over winter.
I have been rewarded this month with loose spikes of pale violet-flushed flowers on conspicuous papery bracts. Clary can reach up to 1m in height and sits atop large wrinkled leaves covered in white-woolly hairs. It’s pretty robust looking and is sitting happily in amongst the nepeta and pale pink roses. Although classed as biennial it can self-seed and may even last another season if the winter is mild.
Often used in aromatherapy, Clary oil is said to feed the soul and help get us through rough times. Perfect timing!
