7 Blue Hill meadow sage

SALVIA X SYLVESTRIS, ZONES 4 TO 8

Blue Hill is a compact salvia that’s best planted in containers, at the edge of a border or as a taller ground cover in full sun. It’s salt tolerant, so try planting it along driveways or sidewalks. The deep violet blooms persist from early summer through fall with deadheading. It prefers drier soil in winter and moist to moderately moist soils in the summer.

Why we love it: It produces beautiful cut flowers, and it resists pests such as deer and rabbits, too.