RHS Grow app reveals salvia is the nation’s most grown pollinator-friendly plant group 

Data from gardeners across the UK show that 145,927 users have recorded growing salvias, with 28 different varieties logged. Known for their long flowering, vibrant colour and resilience in a range of conditions, salvias continue to be a mainstay of borders, containers and herb gardens. All salvias are recognised as RHS Plants for Pollinators, for their value in providing nectar and pollen for pollinating insects.

Among the most widely grown varieties, Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ is the clear favourite, recorded by 12,743 users. ‘Caradonna’ is frequently used in RHS Chelsea Show Gardens for its dramatic spikes of vibrant indigo flowers, and this year featured in Designer Rob Hardy’s Trussell’s Together Garden.

Close behind is Salvia ‘Hot Lips’, with 12,576 RHS Grow entries by gardeners. Nearly 10,000 people have recorded growing the culinary variety – Salvia officinalis (common sage) – with 9,937 adding it into their app garden records. Other popular choices include Salvia ‘Amistad’ with 6,096 records, and rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) with 5,711.

Gardeners are also growing Salvia nemorosa ‘Ostfriesland’ (3,361), Salvia ‘Blue Spire’ (formerly Perovskia, 2,512) and the dramatic, almost black Salvia ‘Nachtvlinder’ (2,304).

Recording your garden in the RHS Grow app

These insights come directly from UK gardeners recording what they grow. More than 6.5 million plants have been added to  RHS Grow since its launch, with nearly 350,000 people across the UK contributing their garden records so far.

The RHS Grow app, a gardening app for everyone, allows users to search for and identify plants and add them to their digital garden, creating a personalised record that evolves over time. Gardeners can begin by adding a few favourites or build a complete picture by logging all the plants in their garden in one go.

This growing dataset helps the RHS, the UK’s gardening charity, to understand planting trends nationwide, while supporting its charitable mission to enrich everyone’s life through plants and make the UK a greener, more beautiful place.

Why are salvias so widely grown?

Salvias are among the most versatile garden plants. Many thrive in sunny positions with well‑drained soil, are drought-tolerant once established, and flower over a long period from early summer into autumn. They are equally at home in mixed borders, dry gardens and containers, offering colour in shades from soft pastels to rich purples, reds and blues.

The genus is also exceptionally diverse, including hardy

Perennials are plants that live for multiple years. They come in all shapes and sizes and fill our gardens with colourful flowers and ornamental foliage. Many are hardy and can survive outdoors all year round, while less hardy types need protection over winter. The term herbaceous perennial is used to describe long-lived plants without a permanent woody structure (they die back to ground level each autumn), distinguishing them from trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs.

A plant backed by RHS research and trials

Gardeners often use the word variety when referring to a specific plant, but the correct botanical term is 'cultivar'. Whichever word you use, it means a distinctive plant or plants, given a specific cultivar name and usually bred to enhance certain characteristics, such as flower or fruit size, colour, flavour or fragrance, plant size, hardiness, disease resistance, etc. Additionally, it is worth knowing that, botanically, variety has another meaning - it refers to a naturally-occurring distinct plant that only has slight differences in its looks. For example, Malva alcea var. fastigiata differs from typical plants by having an upright habit.

cultivar

“Many people were blown away by the abundance of bees and pollinators in the trial area. It was nice to see the public so enthusiastic about this, and even selecting their favourite salvia primarily on its ability to attract bees,” said RHS Trials Coordinator Mandy Tout.

Essential for pollinators

Salvias are highlighted by RHS Science’s Plants for Pollinators research as plants that provide valuable nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. Their tubular flowers are particularly well suited to feeding pollinators over an extended season. With pollinator populations under pressure, planting nectar‑rich species such as salvias is a simple and effective way for gardeners to support biodiversity.

A plant for the future garden

The data from the RHS Grow app reflects a wider shift towards resilient, climate‑adapted and wildlife‑friendly planting. Salvias meet all of these needs, combining drought tolerance, long flowering period and high ecological value. As more gardeners look to create spaces that are both beautiful and beneficial for nature, salvia’s spot as one of the nation’s most-grown plant types is likely to endure.

By recording salvias and other plants in the RHS Grow app, gardeners can track their own gardens while contributing to a wider understanding of what is being grown across the UK. Whether chosen for colour, ease of care or pollinator value, salvias remain one of the most rewarding and beneficial plants any gardener can grow.

Add your plants to RHS Grow

Do you grow salvias? Add them to your garden in RHS Grow.

Unlike other gardening apps, RHS Grow is developed by the UK’s gardening charity. Subscription income goes back into the charity and supports:

• Scientific research into plants, diseases and climate resilience
• Wildlife and pollinator conservation
• Education for schools and communities
• Advice to help gardeners adopt more sustainable practices

Backed by over 200 years of RHS horticultural expertise, the app combines practical tools with trusted, science‑led guidance, making it a unique resource for gardeners.