How to Landscape With Russian Sage

Design a perennial border with Russian sage as the backdrop. Place Russian sage, which grows to a height of 3 to 5 feet, along the back edge of a wide, cultivated bed. Plant brightly colored perennials that grow 2 to 3 feet tall in front of the sage. Finish the perennial border with low-growing thyme or alyssum for front-of-the-bed edging.

Combine Russian sage with other deer-resistant plants to create a garden that will last near forested land or other properties where deer are a pest. Plant spring-blooming hyacinth and daffodils in beds with later blooming Stella de Oro daylilies, snapdragons and Russian sage to ensure a long season of garden color.

Grow three to five Russian sages together in a cluster to create a specimen planting for a xeriscape garden. Position the cluster near a building or landscape feature so that its silvery color and late-summer flowers create a dramatic focal point.

Install a soft natural boundary between two large garden areas with a row of Russian sage plants. Build a garden bed at least 3 feet wide to accommodate two Perovskia atriplicifolia plants side by side the entire length of the row.

Set Russian sage near large, darker-colored boulders in a rock garden to highlight the contrast of hard and soft, light and dark. Add large-leaf green plants and red-toned flowers to further contrast with the airy, gray-blue texture and colors of the Russian sage.