Salvia 'Caradonna'

One of my very favorite perennial Salvia's for the Midwest. Although 'May Night' is one of the best known, I think this plant superior to 'May Night' in a couple ways. Taller than 'May Night', this one can be a back row plant in a sun perennial garden. Also, 'Caradonna' has red stems which add interest and contrast to the leaves even when its not in bloom.
This picture hardly shows off the red stems, but overall, it is a good enough picture. Compliments of finegardening.com, a wonderful website to explore when you are at leisure.
Now, on to my favorite ways to use Salvia.
In my opinion Salvia's make poor bedding plants, in the front row, at least, because their feet are always bare. Even in the fullest sun I tend to still be able to see the bare bottom stems and I don't like it! It is the same problem I have with Monarda, but both are such great butterfly and hummingbird attractions that I can't stop myself from using them in the garden.
So I have learned to put smaller, more dense plants in front of them to hide their bare 'feet'. Now 'May Night' is almost too short for me to do this well, which is why I like 'Caradonna' so much better. I have used 'Caradonna' in a perennial bed in the back row with 'Marshall's Delight' Monarda, with Sedums and Cranesbill Geraniums and dwarf Daylilies in front of that, and then smaller perennials like Coral Bells and Cheddar Pinks Dianthus. Very nice in my opinion.
Now, they say that 'Caradonna' is only hardy to a zone 5, but I lived and used this plant in a zone 5a (the colder half of 5) and it did great, even in more open spaces.
I say all that because I usually don't buy plants when their hardiness zone ends on my zone. If I am a zone 5, then I like to grow things hardy to zones 4 or lower, because being in the colder half of that zone, I find that some of the things zoned for me are only marginal in my area. So I dont' like to invest in things that are only marginal, I want plants that will thrive in my zone. 'Caradonna' is one of the few I have grown with an ending hardiness zone of 5, and it had done wonderfully.
I have grown it here in Missouri as well now, and it has done just as well, but the deer here like it very well also. So I don't get a second flush of blooms in the fall because they munch it to the ground. They do however leave it alone in the spring because there are so many other delicacies in my garden to munch, like my coral bells and sedum, the sedum is their favorite.
Well, so that is my review on 'Caradonna' Salvia! Happy growing.