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Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
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types of sage plants

Sage is a diverse and versatile group of plants, enjoyed for their aromatic foliage, showy blooms, and adaptability in New Zealand gardens. Whether you’re an avid cook, a keen gardener, or looking to create a pollinator-friendly landscape, exploring the various types of sage plants opens up a world of colour, fragrance, and form. With so many options—from culinary to ornamental—there’s a sage plant perfectly suited for every garden style or need.

Coprosma kirkii 'variegata'

Coprosma kirkii 'Variegata' is a hardy NZ native groundcover shrub admired for its trailing habit and attractive variegated foliage of green edged with cream. This evergreen plant provides year round colour and texture while suppressing weeds and covering bare ground.

Buy Coprosma kirkii 'variegata'

From $17.95

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Groundcover Plants

Height: 25 cm

Spread: 2.50 m

Flowering time: Spring

Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy, Wind

Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Ground covering, Living areas, Parks, Paths & Steps, Ponds, Pool areas, Specimen

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native, Rock

Pittosporum 'Mountain Green'

Pittosporum 'Mountain Green' is a robust New Zealand native shrub prized for its vibrant green foliage and dense growth. Perfect for creating privacy screens, hedges, or adding lush greenery to your garden.

Buy Pittosporum 'Mountain Green'

From $22.01

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Shrubs

Height: 2.50 m

Spread: 2.00 m

Flowering time: Spring

Tolerances: Extended dry periods, Hardy, Wind

Garden uses: Hedging, Living areas, Parks, Ponds, Pool areas, Screening, Specimen

Garden styles: Alpine, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Native

What Makes Sage So Popular?

Sage plants belong mostly to the genus Salvia, which encompasses hundreds of species and hybrids. Valued for their drought tolerance and pest resistance, sages thrive in many conditions, from sunny borders to rocky garden beds. Their nectar-rich blooms are a magnet for bees, butterflies, and nectar-loving birds, making them an ideal choice for anyone looking to boost biodiversity in the garden.

Common Types of Sage Plants

Culinary Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Perhaps the most well-known of all types of sage plants, culinary sage is a kitchen staple in New Zealand. With its soft, grey-green leaves and robust flavour, this perennial is equally at home in the herb garden or as a border plant.

Ornamental Sages

For those seeking colour and drama, ornamental sages are hard to beat. Their flowering spikes add height and texture while offering a long season of interest.

Salvia Sallyfun White (White Sage Plant): Renowned for its crisp, white blooms and upright habit, this variety creates a calming, sophisticated look in mixed perennial borders.
Salvia Mirage Hot Pink (Autumn Sage Plant): A standout for its vivid pink flowers and compact growth, this sage attracts pollinators and flowers prolifically from spring through autumn.
Salvia Wendy's Wish: This modern hybrid sage combines deep magenta flowers with lush foliage, providing colour and structure to sunny garden beds.

Wood Sage

Woody-stemmed sages add resilience and structure to garden designs. Salvia Snow Hill (Wood Sage Plant) produces pristine white flower spikes, perfect for brightening up shaded areas and mixing well with other summer perennials.

Russian Sage

Though not a true sage, Perovskia atriplicifolia (Perovskia plant), commonly called Russian Sage, is beloved for its feathery silver foliage and clouds of lavender-blue flowers. It’s particularly well-suited for dry, sunny sites and layered planting schemes.

Using Sage Plants in Your Garden

Types of sage plants offer endless possibilities for Kiwi gardens. Plant them in drifts to create low-maintenance borders, mix them with grasses for a prairie feel, or pair them with other Mediterranean herbs for easy-care edible beds. Allow sages space to spread, and site them in well-drained soil with plenty of sun for best results.

No matter your style or experience level, exploring the many types of sage plants will reward you with plants that are as beautiful as they are beneficial. Start your collection with classics like Salvia Sallyfun White (White Sage Plant), bright varieties such as Salvia Mirage Hot Pink (Autumn Sage Plant), or the feathery charm of Perovskia atriplicifolia (Perovskia plant).

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.

types of sage plants

Coprosma kirkii 'variegata'

Pittosporum 'Mountain Green'

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What Makes Sage So Popular?