Sage

This salvia species is an eye-catching plant, with 10cm (4in) long fluffy silver leaves forming a large rosette all summer. A group of plants makes stunning ground cover for the front of a sunny border, raised bed or gravel garden, and provides a dramatic background for colourful summer flowers. Plants want to flower in mid to late summer, but the clusters of white and green bracts are not outstanding, and, if allowed to develop, they cause the foliage to deteriorate badly. Flowering also weakens the plant, so remove the flower-spikes while they are still small. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its Award of Garden Merit (AGM).