How to Landscape With Russian Sage
Russian sage is a versatile landscaping plant that is deer-resistant and drought-tolerant. A woody perennial, its slender tall gray branches, small, silver-colored leaves and gentle blue flowers complement brightly colored flowers in a perennial border. Russian sage, also known by its botanical name Perovskia atriplicifolia, makes a fine specimen planting in a xeriscape garden. A plant requiring full sun, it can be used in a wide swath to soften and divide wide expanses of lawn or in a rock garden to add texture to a planting composition. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Design a perennial border with Russian sage as the backdrop. Place Russian sage, which grows to a height of 3 to 5 feet, along the back edge of a wide, cultivated bed. Plant brightly colored perennials that grow 2 to 3 feet tall in front of the sage. Finish the perennial border with low-growing thyme or alyssum for front-of-the-bed edging.
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Combine Russian sage with other deer-resistant plants to create a garden that will last near forested land or other properties where deer are a pest. Plant spring-blooming hyacinth and daffodils in beds with later blooming Stella de Oro daylilies, snapdragons and Russian sage to ensure a long season of garden color.
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Grow three to five Russian sages together in a cluster to create a specimen planting for a xeriscape garden. Position the cluster near a building or landscape feature so that its silvery color and late-summer flowers create a dramatic focal point.
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Install a soft natural boundary between two large garden areas with a row of Russian sage plants. Build a garden bed at least 3 feet wide to accommodate two Perovskia atriplicifolia plants side by side the entire length of the row.
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Set Russian sage near large, darker-colored boulders in a rock garden to highlight the contrast of hard and soft, light and dark. Add large-leaf green plants and red-toned flowers to further contrast with the airy, gray-blue texture and colors of the Russian sage.
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Tips & Warnings
Russian sage does not tolerate damp, heavy-clay soil, which will stunt its growth and eventually cause it to wilt and die.
