Tip #5: Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Russian Sage stands out as a dramatic architectural masterpiece in the dry garden. Featuring tall, powdery silver stems and clouds of tiny, pale purple blooms, this shrubby perennial adds wonderful cool tones to a sweltering summer landscape. The silvery-gray hue of the stems and leaves serves a highly practical purpose; the pale color physically reflects the sun’s harsh rays, keeping the internal plant tissues cool and hydrated.
Hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 9, Russian Sage grows vigorously, often reaching four feet tall and three feet wide. The aromatic oils in the leaves not only deter deer and rabbits but also help the plant retain internal moisture. This dual-purpose adaptation places Russian Sage firmly among the most reliable heat resistant flowers you can possibly plant.
Provide Russian Sage with the driest, most sun-drenched location in your yard. It actively prefers poor, rocky, or chalky soils. If you plant it in rich, heavily amended garden loam, the stems grow too fast and flop over onto the ground. Prune the woody stems down to about six inches above the soil line in early spring; this simple annual chore ensures a tight, bushy growth habit and thousands of vibrant purple blossoms.
