The genus Salvia continues to provide late colour, including this one on the Herbaceous Beds.
Comprising approximately 950 species the genus Salvia occurs in tropical and temperate regions of Africa, Asia, Europe and America, where plants usually grow in dry, sunny habitats. Species are either shrubs or herbs and usually have square stems, opposite leaves, and two-lipped flowers characteristic of the sage family (Lamiaceae) to which they belong. The flowers are held in either terminal panicles or racemes, or axillary whorls, and many have aromatic foliage. ‘Waverly’ is a hybrid of the Mexican and Central American S. leucantha. It can exceed 1m in height and has white flowers which make striking contrast to the purple calyces and dark stems.