Known as Russian Sage, and the 1997 Perennial of the year winner, this wonderful summer blooming perennial shows off spkies of rich blue flowers on tall stems graced by lacy, fragrant blue-grey foliage .  Great for use in mass plantings or in the back of sun gardens, Russian Sage has extremely long lasting blooms and provides a exceptional backdrop for yellow bloomers such as Coreopsis or Rudbeckia.  It dervies its name from a Russian General, hence the name Russian Sage, but despites it etemological history it is a great, hardy plant for Minnesota.