Salvia nemorosa 'Blue Hill' – Compact Meadow Sage for Perennial Borders

Salvia nemorosa 'Blue Hill': Dwarf Violet Sage for Sunny Gardens

Salvia nemorosa 'Blue Hill' (also known as 'Blauhügel') is a compact, award-winning cultivar of woodland sage that brings intense violet-blue flowers to sunny borders from late spring through summer. Hybridized by Pagels, this German selection has become a staple in perennial gardens worldwide for its tidy habit, long bloom period, and pollinator appeal.

Botanical Profile

• Family: Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee)
• Genus: Salvia (SAL-vee-uh)
• Species: nemorosa (nem-or-OH-suh)
• Cultivar: Blue Hill
• Also known as: Blauhügel
• Hybridized by: Pagels

Garden Performance

'Blue Hill' forms a neat, rounded mound of aromatic, gray-green foliage 12–18 inches tall and wide. In late spring, dense spikes of violet-blue flowers rise above the foliage, blooming for 6–8 weeks. Deadheading encourages a lighter fall rebloom. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

This salvia thrives in full sun and well-drained soil—even poor, dry soils once established. It's drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and long-lived. Use it in mass plantings, border fronts, rock gardens, and pollinator meadows. Its compact size makes it suitable for containers. 'Blue Hill' is a perennial workhorse: reliable, beautiful, and ecologically valuable.