Salvia aurea is an aromatic hardy shrub with unusually coloured flowers borne over a long period. It is fairly fast-growing, up to 2 m, and very attractive to wildlife. It used to be known as Salvia Africa Lutea.

This is an excellent choice for coastal gardens, as it prefers light, well-drained soil and full sun, tolerates strong winds, and is drought resistant.

This salvia makes a fine rockery plant and the grey-brown effect of its foliage and flowers makes a pleasing contrast to the more usual green vegetation of the garden. It is also suitable for an informal shrub border.

It has been cultivated successfully further inland and upcountry, as it is capable of resprouting from its rootstock it recovers suitably from frost damage, but preferably try to find it a warm sheltered spot in the garden if you live in a frosty area.

For more prolific growth, water well and give it plenty of compost/mulch. Some pruning should be done to keep the plant shapely, but with age, usually after about five years or more, a build-up of wood is inevitable. At this point it is better to start afresh with a young plant. Brown salvia is easily propagated by stem cuttings, or seed sown in spring. Seedlings will flower from a year to 18 months after sowing.

The sage family is a very large one characterized by square stems and aromatic leaves.

The flowers are complemented by greyish-green, aromatic foliage. Altogether, this is a very worthwhile addition to one's garden.

The leaves are lovely for use in potpourri as they retain their shape, colour and much of their fragrance, and mix well with other ingredients.

Flowering begins in early spring, and the bright yellow flowers soon fade to rusty-orange and then reddish brown. After the petals fall, the saucer-like calyx, which becomes papery with age, remains as an added attraction.

The flowers contain a lot of sweet nectar which attracts bees and moths, and acts as an essential food supply for sunbirds, particularly when proteas are not flowering.