Salvia ‘Raspberry Ripple’

A beautiful long-flowering Salvia with raspberry-pink and white blooms, bringing vibrant colour to sunny borders from summer into autumn.

Salvia ‘Raspberry Ripple’ produces masses of distinctive two-tone flowers, combining rich raspberry-pink with creamy white for a wonderfully fresh, almost hand-painted effect. The flowers are held above aromatic green foliage and continue appearing over a long season, often well into autumn. Like many Salvias, the nectar-rich blooms are highly attractive to bees and other pollinating insects.

Best grown in a warm, sunny position in fertile but well-drained soil. It develops into a bushy, branching plant, making it excellent for the middle of a sunny border or a large container. Regular deadheading encourages further flowers, while good drainage and a sheltered position are particularly important during winter.

Specifications

• Height: Around 60–80cm

• Spread: Around 50–60cm

• Flowering: June to October, often until the first frosts

• Position: Full sun

• Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil

• Hardiness: Hardy in mild, sheltered gardens, benefits from winter protection

• Habit: Bushy, upright and branching

• Maintenance: Deadhead regularly, avoid cutting back hard until spring

🌿 Note for Isle of Wight planting

Well suited to the Isle of Wight's relatively mild climate, particularly in sunny, sheltered gardens. Plant somewhere warm with excellent drainage and avoid exposed frost pockets or ground that remains wet through winter. In colder or more exposed parts of the Island, a generous mulch around the root area provides useful winter protection.

🌿 Ideal Companion Plants from The Green Standard Range

• Gaura ‘The Bride’ – airy white flowers pick up the creamy markings of ‘Raspberry Ripple’ and soften its bushy habit.

• Verbena ‘Bampton’ – dark foliage and fine purple-pink flowers provide a beautiful contrast without competing with the Salvia.

• Stipa tenuissima – adds movement and a soft grassy texture around the base of the planting.

• Achillea ‘Lilac Beauty’ – its muted pink-lilac flower heads complement the raspberry tones while providing a contrasting flower shape.

• Nepeta ‘Little Titch’ – creates a compact lavender-blue foreground and keeps the base of the planting interesting.

• Salvia ‘Nachtvlinder’ – deep purple flowers create a richer contrast and make an excellent companion where a longer, layered Salvia display is wanted.

🌟 The Green Standard Tip

Don’t cut ‘Raspberry Ripple’ back hard in autumn. Leave the old growth in place over winter to give the crown some natural protection, then cut back once fresh growth is clearly appearing in spring. A little patience at this stage can make a big difference to overwintering Salvias successfully.