Salvia 'Royal Bumble'. Sturdy upright shrubby hardy perennial Salvia to 2ft. The lipped flowers are large and almost luminous in colour. Amazingly long flowered. As I write the 2 plants in my garden out my window seem to be shrugging off the snow and the -8oC frost.
My favourite plant of 2011.
A proper red flower. A must for any border.