Salvia collection

Salvias are a fantastic addition to any garden and here at Geelong Botanic Gardens we are lucky to have quite a significant collection of species, and thus the ability to showcase the variety in colour and size of this versatile plant.

Salvias have been showcased within Geelong Botanic Gardens since its establishment in the 1850’s.                

A catalogue of plants from 1860 by the first Curator Daniel Bunce listed at least 10 different species of Salvia present in the gardens. An article in the Geelong Advertiser, dated 1905, makes mention of a beautiful Salvia involucrata growing in the gardens, again confirming the long-standing historical connection to the plant species, a favourite of avid plant collectors. Officially the Salvia collection became formalised and documented within the gardens in 1999.
The Salvia’s are a diverse group, with close to 1,000 different species from all around the world, the largest proportion are native to the Americas particularly Mexico and Brazil.

There are some very drought tolerant species from Africa and the Mediterranean.  We grow over 100 different species and cultivars represented in the gardens, ranging from small ground covers to larger shrubs. We are always on the hunt to add to our collection and display.
Salvias belong to the mint family (Lamiaceae); they often have highly aromantic foliage. Salvias offer long seasonal display of bright flowers and are a great addition to any garden, there is always something in bloom.

Although blue is not a particularly common flower colour we see in the natural word, many shades of blue can be found in the Salvia flower, with these striking bright blue flowers they are a popular choice for our blue banded bees in the gardens.
They are a terrific addition to many styles of garden and landscapes, whilst also being fantastic for pollinators. They are readily available to purchase from local nursery’s or find a selection grown from our very own Salvias in the garden at our Friends of Geelong Botanic Gardens Nursery. Next time you’re in the garden, take a stroll and be inspired by the wonderful display and diversity of Salvia Collection.

Keep an eye out as you wander for some of our lesser-known species include Salvia confertiflora, Salvia tuerckheimii, Salvia bullulata or the fantastic groundcover Salvia spathacea. (some photos below in this order of these species if wanting to put photos on the page)
For more information The Victorian Salvia study group have many resources online and have been an important collaborator in helping us identify the more unusual species growing at the gardens. If you are interested learning more about Salvias or need a possible species identification, they are a fantastic group to reach out to.

The Salvia collection is located towards the centre of the gardens, nearby to the Chillian Wine Palm (4) on the map.