Salvia × sylvestris ‘May Night’ (Meadow sage)
I am joining in Cathy’s weekly challenge In A Vase On Monday to create a floral arrangement from materials gathered in one’s own garden. Last week I included the first small flowering stem of Salvia × sylvestris ‘May Night’ (Meadow sage) in my Monday vase. Mainacht is back again this week.
Coming fully into bloom this week, ‘May Night’ is coloring the front edge of the south-facing border with dark bluish-purple flower spikes. This perennial loves sun, is deer and drought-tolerant and adjusts to a variety of soil types. It is supposed to bloom all summer with proper deadheading, but in my garden it looks its best during late April-May, then blooms again in September. Some may not enjoy the slightly strong scent indoors, but when cut for arrangements the flowers last for a week or more.
This week the vase is the real star, a delightful gift from my two younger sisters last Easter weekend. This two-toned glazed piece was handmade by a potter in Seagrove, NC, a famous community of potters whose tradition predates the American Revolution. My sisters said they spotted this vase in a shop and thought it might come in handy in light of the weekly Monday vase-themed posts (and it certainly has).
The blue cookie jar seems a perfect companion accessory for this week’s vase. It belonged to our mother and has held many a homemade oatmeal-raisin cookie through the years (though never for long).
May Night With Mama’s Cookie Jar
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting. Visit her to see what she and others are placing In A Vase On Monday.
pbmGarden 
Great combo – beautiful flowers, gorgeous container, AND oatmeal-raisin cookies. 🙂
Thanks Judy. I may have to carve out some time this week to fill that cookie jar.
Love the salvia, but love the vase even more! It has a beautiful shape.
I agree–the shape is lovely.
Lovely vase. I love Salvias and this one is such a lovely colour.
This salvia is nice because it doesn’t spread too much like others I have. In fact I wish it would spread more. The color works well in my garden.
It is quick and easy to propagate from cuttings so you could have more by the end of the summer if you took some now.
Thanks, I’ll give it a try.
What a gorgeous colour that salvia has.
I agree Janet, it is a nice deep rich bluish purple.
This is a lovely story and connection to your family, what thoughtful sisters you have. My Salvias are nowhere near as advanced as yours, a few more weeks yet.
Thank you Julie. I feel so lucky to have my dear sisters.
As the others have said, everything is lovely, including your thoughtful sisters! I wonder if that salvia is available in the UK? And what a useful shape the vase is! Thanks so much for joining in Susie
Thanks Cathy. I read it is popular across Europe and was heavily marketed here as Perennial of the Year around 1997, so then became used often in US gardens. Also known as Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’.
Thanks for that, Susie.
Your salvia is beautiful – that blue is one of my favourite summer colours. I have that salvia in my garden (Crocus supply it), but it will be a few weeks yet before I can enjoy its flowers. I have never used it in the house, but will now having seen your vase. I love the stories around the flowers – I could really eat one of those cookies right now!
Thank you Julie. That color is versatile in the garden. Do you mean your crocus will not bloom for several more weeks? Wish I could share cookies with everyone today!
Lovely! Those blue flowers show the vase off wonderfully!
Thanks Cathy. I wanted to showcase the vase today. I think it will be quite versatile.
I’m impressed by the perfection of the Salvia. I have ‘Mystic Spires’ blooming in my garden, which has the same brilliant blue color but, by comparison to ‘May Night,’ the blooms look scruffy.
Hi Kris, I looked up your Mystic Spires and it looks pretty too. These first fresh flowers of the season always look the best to me. Maybe you can give May Night a try–I’ve been very pleased with it.
Beautiful as always. I’m never very happy with my Salvia in the summer garden, so maybe I need to cut it and enjoy it in the house. Love the vase. We’re going to be doing some driving around the south this summer on college tours. Maybe Seagrove will be on the route!
Thanks Stephi. I’ve grown some unruly Salvia that spread too much. This one is well-behaved and it is long-lasting indoors. Good luck on the college tours. You might enjoy Duke Gardens in Durham and the NC Botanical Garden also.
Very pretty flowers and setting. I’m growing Salvia viridis to cut but they are still teen seedlings here in the UK.
I looked up your Salvia viridis and see it is an annual. Looks very pretty. I admire your patience in growing from seeds. Thanks for commenting today.
How nice, Susie! And you’ve certainly caught up big time as my Salvias aren’t flowering yet. Is it very warm now? Have a great week 🙂
Thanks Annette. We’ve had some warm, dare I say even hot days, though it’s cooler again this week. This must be an early blooming salvia because I have a couple of others that don’t bloom until later. Hope you’re enjoying your gardening. susie
Who would have thought that the vase and cookie jar could be such perfect mates! Love the arrangement.
I thought of that cookie jar right away. Thanks!
Always such a delight to get these lovely posts early in the week.
I am glad you enjoy them Ann. The vases are fun to do.
That is a salvia I don’t know – it is a real beauty.
It’s a well-behaved one and has great color. I read that it was popular first in Europe.